A Shattered Soul
by coocay
Summary: When Naru left, a heart broke, and a soul shattered. Five years later, she's still struggling. On a cold winters night, Mai is homeless and hungry. Any hope left inside had vanished, leaving nothing but an empty shell of what once was an compassionate, bubbly girl. Will Mai be able to recover what she has lost by herself? Or will someone help pick up the pieces?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own ghost hunt.**

**First Fanfic, please enjoy!**

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><p>CHAPTER 1: Homeless<p>

**Naru P.O.V.**

_Mai was there. The girl I hadn't seen for five years was right in front of me. She was dressed in all tattered clothes, her toes reaching the edge of the step above the electric railroad tracks. She looked sad, confused, and angry all at once as she stared down at the tracks beneath. Mai held on closely to the pole next to her. She ducked her chin in from the cold and hid her red fingers in the sleeves of her green worn jacket. Mai gently closed her eyes against the darkness of the subway station and let out a shaky sigh. She seemed to be waiting for something._

_ Not a moment later, the tracks begin to shake uncontrollably and a deep rumbling was heard down the echoing of the tunnel. Mai flashed open her eyes at the sudden sound. Two bright lights caught her attention as they came rushing down the tracks. Each second, the sounds grew louder, interrupting the silence that Mai was once consumed in. It was then I knew what Mai's intentions were. She was going to kill herself._

Then I woke up.

My back was drenched in cold sweat and my breaths rapid and heavy. Mind racing and hands shaking, I gripped the bridge of my nose tightly. My thoughts were going out of control. I haven't had a dream quite like this before. Neither had I thought of Mai in a long time since I cowardly ran away five year ago.

I rose from my mess of a bed onto wobbly knees. I groaned as I stretched my arms above my head until I heard a 'crack' from my joints. I felt utterly terrible. A needle-like pang above my temple made me cringe. A headache was forming from my exhaustion. Dreaming of Mai jumping in front of a subway didn't help either.

The thought vanished from my mind as I headed into the bathroom to splash cold water onto my face. I felt the icy sting wake me from any drowsiness I had before, but it quickly dissipated as I muffled my face into the warm towel beside me. Leaning against the bathroom counter, I stare into the mirror, closely studying my reflection.

I looked and acted the same as when I left Mai. Tall and arrogant was who I was, and all I will ever be. My hair was the same raven black as it was then, the only difference was the length. My eyes could be misinterpreted as the same color. They were a dark, cold, blue that matches my personality. Looking into the mirror, I felt shame and disappointment in myself. I have always felt like this, ever since I left a brown-eyed idiot five years ago.

My thoughts then race back to my dream. My _nightmare_. It was unlike anything I had ever experienced before. I felt the cold stillness of Japan's winter in the subway station. I still remember it after all these years of being stuck here in England of my own cowardice of facing Mai again. I could hear vividly of the screeching of the tracks, and how it continues to echo down throughout the tunnel. But mostly, I could hear the racing of Mai's breath, and the way she looked before she stepped in front of the train. Mai looked emotionally and physically drained of all energy that was once inside her. She was dead tired, and her sunken in cheeks lost their pink rosy touch.

I cringed of the thought of Mai actually being in that state. There was no way Mai was in such ways, especially since she had the rest of the SPR team to look after her.

Convincing myself enough that the dream was nothing, I set off to go see my older friend, Lin.

Going to see Lin hadn't taken much. After leaving to England to bury my twin brother Eugene, I stayed with my parents for the time being. We reminisced about old times about the way Gene and I treated each other. We were complete opposites. Gene was bubbly, with an open personality, while I was socially awkward. I soon replaced socially awkward with narcissistic and arrogant.

'Narcissistic,' I thought to myself as I stepped out the door. Narcissist was the nickname I had gotten from a short brunette that I longed to see once again.

Locking my apartment up, I knocked on the door across from mine.

"Come in," said a quiet voice from beyond the door.

As expected, Lin was where he usually is: typing away on his computer.

About a month after I moved to England, I realized I had to stop sucking off of my parents for a living, so I moved into a cheap apartment in town. Lin, who was kind enough to follow me to England, stayed across from my apartment room, and has kept an eye on me since. Of course, my parents were very disappointed that I hadn't been staying with them anymore, so they tried to pry into my life as much as they could. They tried to pay for rent, bills, groceries, and other various things that I could pay for myself. I admit that if they hadn't helped me, I wouldn't be in as good shape as I am right now.

"Lin, can I talk to you about something?" I begin, taking a seat on his sofa. Lin doesn't even take a glance.

"Hm?" he replies, showing little to no interest.

I fiddle with my thumbs for a while, trying to mouth the words.

"Have you contacted Mai recently?" I question, trying to seem that it's a normal conversation.

Lin stops his typing abruptly and turns around. "No Noll," he says at first. Suddenly aware of the strange question, he continues. "Why do you ask?" he says, looking at me with curiosity.

I take a deep breath before I answer. I was having a mental war with myself whether the dream is worth mentioning to Lin. I didn't want to make Lin worry, after all this time with me. But on the other hand, it _was_ someone's life. And if Mai did jump in front of that train, it's worth more than making Lin worry.

"I had a vision-or something, I don't know," I start, stuttering at first. "Mai was there. She seemed to be…lost."

Lin leans in, suddenly very interested. "Lost?" he questions.

I nod slowly. I take my time with my next words, questioning myself continuously about the whole subject. I swallow down my doubts and continue. "Lin, I saw Mai jump… in front of a subway."

Lin's eyes widen and he suddenly stands. At first he is speechless, his words mumbled up in one, but eventually he replies. "Then what are we doing here Noll? We need to go back to Japan." He says urgently, and grasps my arm, making me stand up.

I stop him quickly and step away. "What are you daft? What if it's just some silly dream?" I argue.

Lin stops and takes a step towards me, his eyes trained on mine. "Then this is an excuse to get you back to Japan isn't it Noll?"

**Mai P.O.V.**

All I had seen were two bright lights coming towards me. They stung my eyes, but I was unbothered by them. I focused on where I was going to jump. Where I was going to _die_.

I felt numb. Time seemed to slow. I couldn't tell if my heart had already stopped, or that it was beating too fast to notice. The cold seemed to dissipate, along with any happiness that was left inside me. I was completely drenched in my own self-pity, that in that moment, I forgotten what it was like to feel again. Any thoughts of my parents or my friends were lost to the darkest part of my mind, where I felt nothing but pure hatred for all of them. I felt nothing for no one. I should have been disgusted, or hitting myself for thinking such things, but I felt that it was okay to feel this way. Numbness was all I felt. I was alone _then_ and I'm alone_ now_. Alone is how I'm going to die.

The lights grew brighter in the passing moments. The screeching of the brakes broke the silence, which snapped me out of any last thoughts. I couldn't feel anything. I didn't need to.

I opened my eyes to the subway's lights. I needed to plan it just right, so that it's quick and painless, like my intentions were from the start.

Sucking a breath in, I step forward. I felt nothing below my feet. For a spit second, I'm walking on nothing, floating on air that kept me several feet above the tracks before I plummeted into the subways front.

That moment ends, when pain is finally felt. Unexpectedly, the pain comes from my neck.

I gasp from the sudden surprise that my body is yanked backward by my neck. I choked only for a split second before landing back to where I was: on the subway stations floor, unharmed.

'What the hell?' I thought, rubbing my neck. 'What the hell just happened?'

"Are you mental? Or just plain stupid? Because if I'm dealing with a nutcase, you should have gotten ran over by that subway."

Shocked and frankly curious, I open my eyes to an old man holding out a wrinkly hand. His eyes glinted from the passing subway lights in the cramped station here underground. They hid under well from his fury white eyebrows.

Hesitant, and still surprised by the whole event, I take it anyway and lift myself up.

I dust myself off, looking at the man curiously. He was old. _Too_ old. His grey long beard reached his chest, and a snow cap was lazily planted on top of his head, barely covering his ears.

"Did you..," I started, hesitant at first. "Did you pull me from jumping in front of that subway?"

He looks at me with bored eyes. "No, it was a ghost," he says sarcastically, eventually laughing a second later at his joke.

Suddenly furious, I ask him another question, "Why did you save me?"

"I wasn't just gonna let you die," he sighs.

"You could have."

"No I couldn't"

Crossing my arms, I give him a slight glare and continue. "That's idiotic. This is my life; I chose what I want to do with it."

The old man looks at me, concern at first, and then rolls his eyes and mumbles something to himself.

"Well too bad," he says, and begins to walk away.

Ego hurt and frankly feeling angry, I follow behind him.

"Hey, where are you going?" I ask, suddenly frustrated he didn't want to learn more about me.

The old man stops with a loud sigh.

"Home."

"Where's your home?" I ask, hoping to get a place to rest my head.

He suddenly laughs at my words and continues to walk towards the stairs that lead back up to the highway.

"Under a bridge just a mile down the road here."

Surprised, I continue with the conversation. "Oh so you're homeless too?" I ask, suddenly disappointed.

"Yeah," he says, as he walks up the stairs. I follow closely behind him with quiet feet.

"Is it a better place than mine?" I ask, a little hope still left in me.

He shrugs. I could see his bony shoulders through his three worn jackets.

"Depends on where you live," he says, giving me a laugh that revealed his toothy smile.

The old man and I ended up going back down the stairs to my place. We both decided that the subway at least blocked the cold wind more than it would under a bridge. We acquainted quickly as the night dragged on. I lead the old man back to where I had been sleeping for the past few months.

My temporary home was back down the tunnel where the subway usually came from. There was a small ledge that usually ran up and down these subway stations until the next stop. This particular one I picked out was practically abandoned. I hadn't seen a sign of life until the old man.

We walked along the edge carefully. I lead while the old man followed behind closely. I could tell he was having a hard time keeping up, but I knew he was capable enough.

Finally getting to a wider part of the ledge I stop and point.

"See that?" I motion across from me.

He squints for a while, but then nods quickly as he spots the emergency exit packed with blankets and boxes of goods.

"That's my home," I said proudly. "Now all we have to do is climb down from this ledge onto the tracks, and then up and over. Can you do that?" I question.

Hesitant at first, he nods quickly.

"Good."

For the next twenty minutes, I struggle to help the old man. The tracks were about a couple feet down from where we stood on the edge. But to the old man, they must have seemed like hundreds because it took him forever to get him on his feet and up on the other side of the ledge.

"Now that you totally embarrassed me of my lack of flexibility, I'm suddenly curious about the stranger I'm staying with." He says as we take a seat on the cardboard across from each other.

Lighting a lantern, and finally getting source of light, I ask, "What do you want to know?"

He stops to think and messes with the curls of his beard. "What's your favorite kind of food?"

I couldn't help but burst out with laughter. "Don't you want to know my name first? Where I'm from? If I killed any innocent old men before?" I laugh.

He looks at me curiously, as if actually taking what I said seriously.

"If you killed any innocent old men, you would have killed me already. We've been alone for quite some time, so my question would be a waste of breath on my part, considering I don't have many left."

I nod in agreement. '_Smart bastard' _I thought to myself.

"Then how about my name? Aren't you curious?" I ask as I tuck my feet under myself to keep them warm.

He nods. "Yes I'm curious. But I'm not interested in knowing. Curiosity and interest are two different things. If I'm curious, it's not worth going into. If I'm interested, the subject has caught my attention."

I crank my head in confusion. "You're a crazy old man aren't you?"

The old man flashes me a wicked smile. "The craziest."

The rest of the night seemed to last forever. The old man and I had built a fire using bits of cardboard and other flammable dry objects that were put into a divot in the cement just next to our camp. The night was still young, and it seemed to get colder as time passed. Luckily for us, being underground prevented any source of wind to get to us, but the moisture in the air seemed to freeze my fingers to the point that I couldn't feel them.

The fire helped. Its blazing reds and oranges were small in size, but they provided enough heat for the rest of the night that kept my toes on my feet. The old man was quiet, poking the fire with a stick that he found somewhere.

My new friend was incredibly old, but also incredibly strong for his age. He wore too-small navy blue jeans that ended right above his ankles and long white socks that blocked out snow of his white squeaky sneakers. He was laying on his side, his dark brown eyes reflecting the fires rapid flames as he continued poking and prodding till he was satisfied.

I copy his position on the other side of the fire, and curl up into a ball. My hands were tucked under my sleeves resting below my head as I gaze at the man across from me.

"Don't stare, its rude," he said his voice rough.

I don't acknowledge his comment, but I proceed with something else.

"Chocolate," I said, wondering if understood.

He closes his eyes and crosses his arms on his chest similar to a mummy.

"If you're done speaking nonsense, I'd like to go to sleep now."

I shake my head, although I know he wasn't watching. "My favorite food is chocolate. You asked me before, you said that you were interested in what my favorite food was," I explain.

The old man just shifts his position with a grunt, and lets out a soft sigh. I wait for his reply, but it doesn't come.

I shift my position too. I flip over on my other side, so that my back is warmed by the tiny fire lit next to me. I stare blankly down the dark tunnel. The highway cars rumble above us and the damp ceilings drip cold water droplets making it loud enough that I couldn't hear the old man's soft rhythmic breathing.

I hadn't done much today, but I was drained of energy. My mind was racing with thoughts about earlier today.

I was still here. Still alive. I couldn't convince myself that I was here back where I began: in this dark tunnel with nothing but the clothes on my back, and the shoes on my feet. When I decided to jump in front of that subway, I never would have thought I'd feel again. I thought that was the end of Mai. That should have been the end. Now I'm here again, surrounded by my endless thoughts of my pathetic, self-serving life. I knew I was never to be happy again.

That's what I kept telling myself anyway. I kept telling myself nothing would get better and I would continue to rot alone with nothing but my thoughts. But now I know there is a certain hope that flickers in me that it never has before.

I rolled back on my other side, facing the old man. My eyes finally reaching their limit of staying open anymore. My breathing slowed, and my eyes eventually fluttered shut. For the first time I felt warm, and at peace with myself. My new friend gave me a hope that he has to realize yet.

I fell asleep with the old man's snores and only one thought on my mind.

_'I'm not alone.'  
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><p><strong>Please Read and Review! <strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt.**

**I struggled, but I finally finished Chapter 2! Hope you enjoy!**

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><p>Chapter 2: The Stranger in The Pines<p>

**Naru P.O.V.**

It was England's usual cold, rainy weather when I had received the vision. My doubts of the vision were becoming less and less as we entered England's southern airport in London. Puddles of melted snow drained down into the gutters of the busy highways streets. People were bustling to their destinations as Lin and I exited our taxi with our belongings.

My twelve hour flight was miserable. From the sticky, matted down, leather seats to the seat belt digging into my side, I became frustrated. It was more than distressful. It was agonizing.

The noise was also unbearable. Every passenger seemed prone to talking the whole trip there. The only silence I ever had during my flight to Japan was when we were taking off. It seemed to shush the crowd for a moment before they got back into their conversations. Babies crying, spoiled young children complaining, and even the adults behind me seemed to make me itch for the silence of outside. Every little thing seemed to bother me, and Lin seemed take notice too.

"Something wrong, Noll?" Lin asked, his brows furrow in concern.

I ignore him at first, and roll my eyes dramatically. "Nothing," I spat.

He seemed slightly struck by my little outburst and my attitude, but he quickly turns away with slight hurt written on his face.

Suddenly guilt ridden, I attempt to apologize.

"Sorry," I said, fidgeting with my buckle as the pilots voice spoke through the speakers about today's weather and how terrible it was. I honestly liked the rainy weather. It made me think that the world isn't as lively as it would be on a sunny day. It was calming and nurturing. The rain didn't hurt your eyes like the sun would; all it provided was the cool air and the sweet smell of wet earth below your feet.

"It's just very noisy in here, that's all," I continued, and took a glance out the window.

I told myself that it was just the noise. That the only thing bothering me was this annoying plane ride, but I knew in my gut that wasn't the case.

My brown-eyed assistant was the cause of my irritation. Mai was presumed to be gone. She was dead from this world, and ceased to live in it again. Supposedly, she committed suicide in an underground subway station in Japan. I did have this vision in fact, but I never actually saw her jump. She was staring at the head lights racing toward her. The certainty in her eyes made me wonder if she actually _did_ jump in front of that subway. Still, I didn't have proof, and that's what made me the most frustrated.

I was angry and confused that I didn't know something that I should have. I wanted to hit myself for leaving Mai. I wanted to go back to Japan and say that I was sorry. But most of all, I wanted Mai to be alive and healthy.

Mai had always been difficult. She was an idiot ever since I first started working with her. Her short hair had always been in a snarl when she came to the SPR office in the morning. She had tripped and fallen on every piece of furniture possible. It was like she _meant_ to be a klutz. But I knew Mai was Mai, and she'd forever be that way.

'_If she was still alive,' _I thought.

Suddenly, feeling queasy at the thought, I turn to Lin.

"Lin, could you get that flight attendants attention to get me tea," I said softly.

Lin nodded and did as I asked. His hand reaching up to poke the flight attendant's shoulder gently. She turned around too quickly and seemed to be caught off guard, as she blushed furiously once she looked me in the eyes.

"Sorry for bothering you, I was wondering if I could have some tea," Lin says, matching my words.

She nods quickly, her face turning a brighter red than before, and turns around to get the tea pot. Placing it down on Lin's tray, she pours with shaky hands. It seemed like forever before the tea finally reached the top of the cup, and I hear her let out a breath of relief.

"Anything else?" she asks, her tomato red cheeks scrunching into a smile.

I shake my head. "No thank you."

She nods and continues down the aisle. I couldn't help but think for a moment that the flight attendant reminded me of Mai. Her intense blushing was so similar to Mai's; it almost made me want to order the flight attendant to make more tea.

I frowned. _'If only she was Mai,'_ I thought.

I chose to stop reminiscing about Mai's past, because it just made me more frustrated than I already was. So I decided to look out the tiny double glazed window, and study the sky like it was the most interesting thing in the world.

The clouds were diverse. Grey's of white and black were all mixed and silky, but very subtle to the eye.

I had rested my head on my palm, while the other hand gently stirred my tea. My anger finally simmering to almost nothing as my thoughts traveled elsewhere. My mind was like the sky: so vast, and confusing. I had gotten myself to thinking that the white clouds symbolized my positive thoughts, and the dark negative. I seemed to follow the negative and thinking the worst possible. Even if I tried to forget Mai, I just couldn't help but over think my vision, and what it really had meant.

'_How did I get that vision, if it was in fact not a dream?_' I thought, over and over. _'Does it have to do with my psychic powers?'_

The same questions were replayed in my mind several times; until next thing I know, we finally landed in Japan.

Getting out of the plane was the most difficult. The other classes behind us had already gotten to the front, leaving Lin and I to squeeze past other passengers to exit. People were dragging their feet, pushing, pulling, and inconveniencing my personal bubble. They were way too close for my liking, and by the looks of it, no one seemed to mind. Even Lin didn't seem to mind the crowd. My patience was reaching its limit by the time we finally exited the plane. Lin surprisingly didn't notice my frustration.

"Noll, can I talk to you about something," he says, leading me to an open area by huge glass windows, overlooking the giant aircrafts outside. Lin's expression suddenly turns serious, as he hesitates to speak.

I raise an eyebrow. "Proceed."

"There is something I didn't mention to you before. I was going to tell you on the plane, but I sensed that you were in no good mood to reason. I also was afraid you'd reject, but since you're already here, you have no choice but to listen," he explains.

Surprised at Lin's demands, I focus on his words instead and suddenly get nervous,

"What did you exactly do, Lin?"

He clears his throat and places his hands in his pockets. "I have invited some people here to meet us. They will be some service to us in finding Mai. I know that you wouldn't have approved because we haven't seen them in quite a long time. I know for a fact, Noll, that they will help, and you cannot argue with me because this is about _Mai_, not you."

I look at him curiously. Lin's facial expression was serious, but something in his eyes told me that he was nervous too. Carefully choosing my words, I continue.

"Just who exactly are these people?"

Just as he was about to speak, he's stopped by a less familiar voice. A voice I hadn't heard in five years.

" You still have Lin around as your sidekick, I see,"

My mind was a mess. Excitement and anger seemed like they were competing inside me in those split moments. I was excited to know that I once again can see an old friend, but when I tried to comprehend the anger I felt for him as well, I didn't understand a second of it.

I turned around slowly, finally meeting his eyes. His dirty blonde hair tied in a low ponytail, while his hands casually relaxed in his pockets like they always were. I felt relief wash over me like a blanket when I finally looked him in the face. He hadn't changed a bit.

"Monk."

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><p><strong>Mai P.O.V.<strong>

I couldn't see the morning sun in these tunnels. I didn't see it often. It was far too bright and lively for my liking. Of course, I always caught a glimpse, as the rays shot down through the stairways of the wet, cold subway station.

I usually didn't like the light. It exposes you in ways that you aren't aware of. I've been hiding in the shadows since I was eighteen. The dark was comforting. It made you invisible. That's how I was planned to stay for the rest of my life, until the old man came and took that darkness away.

The old man was already up when I woke. I peeled away my crusted eyelids, and opened them to him making a small fire. His bony back was hunched over as he crouched awkwardly, avoiding to sit on the wet cement.

I laugh once I see what he's doing. "Having troubles there?" I said, staring at his failure of a fire.

He gives me a slight glare before going back to lighting the fire. He couldn't quite catch a flame with the boxes of matches he was using. Before he knew it, he was down to his last one.

"Sorry, I used all your matches up," he says blankly, staring down at his wrinkled hands, and his last match.

I shake my head with a smile. "No, I'll just find some more somewhere else," I said, and I took the last one out of his hand.

He gives me a frown before he rises to his feet. His knobby knees cracking as he stretches. "I was going to give you a nice fire as a goodbye gift," he sighs, "but it was a complete failure."

Shocked and appalled, I rise to my feet as well. "Wait, you're leaving?" I said.

The man eyed me suspiciously for a while, and then surprised me even more with a fit of giggles. "You don't think I would've stayed around now, would you?" He laughs. "I got places to be little lady, places to go.

I smirk. "I highly doubt that. You're too old to travel _old man_."

The old man huffed before turning around. "If you're done insulting me, I best be on my way," he said, sliding on his finger-less gloves.

Suddenly guilty for insulting him, I had to think hard and fast to come up with a reason for him to stay. "Wait!" I yell, catching up to him and tugging on his jacket. "I have to give you a thank you gift as well."

He furrows his brows, confused. "For?"

I smile and roll my eyes. "Ya know, for saving me. I was about to jump in front of a subway yesterday. Kinda a big deal," I nervously laughed, and slightly nervous he would reject my offer. A quick silence passes over us.

I smile wider and continue. "So? What do ya say?"

The old man thinks about it, scratching his chin through his mess of a beard. Deep in thought, he hums and eyes me suspiciously.

"What are you going to do as a thank you gift?" He asks, as his hand captures his chin, similar to what an old friend of mine used to do.

I shrug and give him an honest answer. "Don't know yet, but you have to stay with me to find out. Plus, you can't really get down from this ledge without my help. And I won't help you unless you accept my offer."

He grunts and rolls his eyes. "You're irritating. Has anyone ever told you that?"

I flash him a big smile. "Yep."

The old man smirks for a moment before he goes back to his usual frowning. The outline of his silhouette in the dark disappearing as he sits down on the ledge towards the stairway lights. He looks at me with one eyebrow raised.

"Well? Aren't you going to help me down little miss annoying?"

I couldn't help but feel a twitch in the corner of my mouth. "Yeah, old man. Let's get you out of this tunnel."

Getting the old man up and over the other side of the tunnel didn't take as long as it did last night. We developed a process by him stepping on my back, while I crouched down on my knees and dug my hands in the mud. He then pulled me up onto the upper ledge with the little strength he had. It was a team effort, but I was more than half of that team.

The day was a lot warmer than it usually was. Icy slush was draining down into the tunnel through the stairway, which muddied up my shoes pretty bad and made the water seep through my soles that froze my toes. I went from happy to miserable within an hour of waking up, which most likely leads to a bad rest of the day. I cringed every time I stepped into a puddle.

"Damn it!" I scream, unaware of the eyes following the old man and I as we walked beside the busy street. "My god damn shoes are ruined!"

The old man jabs me in the ribs with his elbow. "Stop it will ya? You're making a scene."

I scrunch up my face like I had eaten something sour. "Me? You're the one who sticks out like a sore thumb."

The old man rolls his eyes and ignores my insult. "Just knock it off kid. Let's just find a place you can rest so we can fix your feet."

I huff in irritation, but I agree.

Other than my frozen feet, the walk was peaceful. The children were pointing at us as they tugged on their parent's sleeves, which I've gotten accustomed to for the time I've been homeless. At first, I was always angry that they couldn't mind their own business, but I realized if I was that child, I would be just as curious if a young adult was walking around homeless. Curiosity is a terrible thing that we humans will never control, and I've come to terms with that.

The old man and I eventually stopped by a nearby park. Technically it was closed for the winter, but we thought that there was a perfectly good bench that needed warming.

"Aren't we breaking rules or something?" I ask, as I dust off wet snow from the bench.

"Nah, just visiting for a while. No one will care kid. Sometimes you gotta live in the moment."

"Living in the moment is going into a park when it's supposed to be closed?"

He winks at me. "You got it."

I laugh, flopping myself down on the wet bench. "Okay, fix my feet," I order, pointing at my soaked shoes.

He looks at them with his eyebrows raised, concern on his face. "I don't think we can fix those shoes kid. If I cleaned them in the snow they'll take time to dry, and not to mention your toes will freeze off before it does."

I huffed, blowing my hair out of my face. "Then what do you suppose we do then mister know-it-all?" I said, crossing my arms.

He looks at my feet awhile, and then at his. He then kneels down and starts untying his shoes.

"Wait wait! What're you doing?" I yell, grabbing his hands away from his laces. "You can't possibly give me your shoes. You are way more sensitive to the cold than I am," I explain.

The old man's brown eyes freeze and look into mine. They filled with concern and worry as he stared at me wide-eyed underneath his bushy eyebrows. He then sighs and rubs the base of his temple, signing of a headache.

"You're a pain in the ass," he says, before looking at me once more.

"Excuse me?" I said, surprised.

He rolls his eyes. "You heard me. You're annoying. A waste of my time. Why do I get into these situations with idiotic people?"

I knew that he joked and teased me, but I couldn't help feel a lump in my throat form from his words.

"I don't know what's wrong with me, okay?" I said. "Maybe if you weren't so old this wouldn't of happened."

He looks at me with bored eyes, ignoring the fact that I was on the verge of crying, my eyes evidently red and my nose clogged.

A quick silence passes over us. I took that chance to observe the park we were enclosed in.

The chilly breeze brushed my neck, but the bright sun warmed the tips of my hands as they lay flat against the wooden bench. The wind whistled through the snow sprinkled pines branches, making the shadows dance across the pale snow. Nothing but a rundown swing set and the calm, lifeless trees were in my vision. In fact, the park was so off the main road, I couldn't even hear the cars drive by.

The old man then snaps me out of my trance by taking a seat next to me, his arms reaching across the back of the soaked wooden bench. He leans back, letting his head lull to the side as he lets out a deep breath.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean that. It's just that I've always had to deal with idiots," he said.

"That's not really an apology," I huff.

He shrugs. "I said sorry, didn't I?"

I roll my eyes and cross my arms. "Whatever. You just spoke the truth, that's all," I said quietly, with a hint of sadness.

He sighs again and looks at me with concerning eyes. "Maybe if you didn't beat yourself up so much, other people wouldn't insult you. Its only nature's way to take advantage of others who lack in self-confidence and make them feel worse."

I laugh and roll my eyes again. "What do you know? You don't even know my name."

"True," he nods. "But I've known you for about a day, so that's about enough time to know someone's true nature."

"Oh please," I sigh. "You don't know one thing about me."

As he messes with the tip of his grey beard, he continues.

"You're suicidal."

Surprised at his words, I turn my head slightly to look at his face.

"Your point?" I ask, slightly frustrated he would mention it.

"Well it's obvious that you do have self-confidence issues basing on what you just mentioned, probably because you've dealt with some traumatic life experiences."

I smirk and nod my head. "Wow, you're one observant guy," I said sarcastically, stretching my legs out on the wooden bench.

We stayed quiet for a while. It was true. I was suicidal. Before my incident at the subway station, I was constantly thinking about death. Every time I saw an open door of opportunity, couldn't help imagining my own death. Even crossing a simple bridge got me to thinking how I would plummet into the thick ice, leading to my painful ending to the world. But I would always back out. Imagining my death was like something I couldn't do anymore because it always pushed me out of attempting. It seemed painful. I always thought that death should be numb, since we've experienced enough dread within our lifetime. But for some reason at the subway station, I decided to give up any hope. Within those seconds, I didn't care about the pain I would go through, I just cared about leaving this world, because I couldn't spend another second in it alone.

"Why am I like this old man?" I ask suddenly, quiet with my words.

The old man turns towards me, and grasps my hands with his. They were warm and rough, like grandpas should be. His eyes wrinkle as he smiles at me once more.

"Life is nothing but garbage. The only reason I didn't want to jump in front of that subway with you is because I'm here to make the most out of this garbage. It's our job to make life into something incredible kid, why waste that opportunity?" he says softly, as hope glimmered in his eyes.

I couldn't help but feel that glimmer of hope travel through me as well. His words were so simple, yet so true.

I blinked back a couple of tears and placed a piece of hair behind my ear. "Thanks," I whispered, and smiled as well. "I needed that."

He shrugs and gives me a crooked smile. "Just speaking the truth, that's all," he says, as he glances down at me feet. "We should probably fix that shoe problem before your toes freeze off."

I nod slowly. I was still transfixed on the old man's speech. Each word the old man spoke released hope. I seemed to absorb that hope and shove it to the back of my brain, where I only use it when I need it most. It wasn't much, but the thought of someone attempting to fix my pitiful self, was enough for me to jump with joy. And this far into my depressing life already, that was a rare thing to see.

"What do you want to do about my feet? I can't even feel them anymore," I said, kicking my feet in the air demonstrating.

He rubs his chin for a while and speaks again. "I could go looking for a pair," he suggests.

I furrow my eyebrows and quickly grab his coat. "No no, you can't just leave me here!"

"I'll be gone for only a while," he says, ripping my arm away. "Do you have a better idea Einstein?"

I give him a slight glare. "Sometimes I wonder if you're actually your age. It's like you're a teenager trapped in a 60 year olds body," I said, sighing. "I just don't know what the point in getting me shoes when my toes will probably be frost bitten by the time you get back."

"Not necessarily," the old man says, holding up a finger in defense. "If you continue to walk you'll just get colder. If you stay here and maybe make a fire to warm your feet, it's probably a better chance your toes will stay on your feet."

I roll my eyes. "Okay fine," I said, giving in. "Just make it back here before dark. I'm guessing it's probably noon by now."

He gives me a little smile and lets out a laugh. "I'm surprised you didn't argue more."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.

"Nothing."

"Are you saying I have anger issues?"

"Not at all."

I give him one last glare before he stands from the wooden bench. His long, boney legs sunk deep into the wet snow as he took a turn, heading for the main road. Just before he takes another step, I quickly catch him by the hem of his sleeve.

"You're coming back for me, right?" I ask seriously, concern and worry plastered on my face.

He rolls his eyes like it was the most mindless thing I could have said. "Of course stupid. You'd probably forget how to breathe if I didn't come back."

"Oh shut up old man, and go find me another pair of shoes," I said, before pushing him away. I couldn't help but feel a twitch in the corner of my mouth curve upwards.

I watch him walk away in the deep, compacted snow. His bony back was straight and sturdy, like a pole as he took careful steps, heading toward the public.

"Hey old man!" I yelled.

He turns around slowly, one eyebrow raised.

"Get me somethin' to eat! I'm hungry!"

I could barely see him roll his eyes underneath his furry eyebrows as he waves his arms, like he was swatting away my words. I giggle to myself, as I finally see the old man disappear in the distance behind the pines.

_That was the last time I laughed for weeks. As I began to make a clearing in the snow for a nice small fire, the night dragged on until it was complete darkness surrounding me. Hope was still within my ever being, but it slowly dwindled as time proceeded with no results of the old man coming back. I began to worry. Panic and fear settled in my mind like home, but it was savage and painful when my mind was set for the worst._

'_He left me,' I had thought over and over, my mind replaying depressing notions of what could have happened to the man who helped me escape my darkness._

_Little did I know the truth in what happened to my old friend. He had been only running late finding my new pair of shoes. I, on the other hand, did not consider the fact of my own safety. A dark set of eyes were watching me within the pines. The pale moon glow was nowhere to be seen as it hid behind several layers of inky clouds. The cold was intense, my hunger for food even more. I had yet to realize the danger lurking within the lifeless trees behind me, and what trouble came of them on that dreadful night._

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><p><strong>Thank you for the amazing reviews! Greatly appreciated!<strong>

**R&R**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt.**

**Writing this took forever, but I sincerely hope you enjoy this very informative chapter!**

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><p>Chapter 3: Finding Mai<p>

**Naru P.O.V.**

Japan was still the same as I left it. The skies were a vibrant blue and the snow shimmering white beside the busy streets. The air was crisp. The liveliness of the city was bearing down as time proceeded slowly. The warm welcome of the bright sun Lin and I received when we arrived to Japan had vanished; along with any other positive theories about Mai's disappearance.

I was tense, as I stepped back into the old Shibuya Psychic Research office. These blank white walls and grey flat carpets was where I spent most of my time five years ago. The smell of newly appointed drywall and the soothing smell of Earl Grey's tea had vanished. All the files, papers, and chairs are how I last seen them. They were completely untouched, leaving the same layer thickness of dust. Even the curtains I held back tightly were not once loosened, letting in a small amount of light that revealed the disgusting grime left flying in the air.

"Looks like you still kept this place even though you were in England," Takigawa says, his face contorted with disgust as he turns to me, his arms across his chest.

My mask was strong, and very much stuck to my face as I turn to see my old friend. His brown eyes filled with nothing but hate.

I ignore his ignorant attitude, and took a seat on the dust ridden sofa.

"Let's get down to business," I said, taking a quick glance at Lin before continuing. "Where's Mai?"

He huffs, "She's been gone for years. I can't even remember the last time I was with her."

Surprised, I continue. "What are you saying? I was sure I left her in your care when I left."

He smirks, "Yeah Oliver, you really didn't. You just left us. To what? Run away from Mai's feelings?" he says, and laughs. "You're pathetic."

I smirk as well, keeping my cool. "No _Monk_, I left to bury my dead twin brother. I'm sorry I didn't know I had the responsibility to babysit adults who were obviously not capable of taking care of themselves," I said condescendingly, my eyes never leaving his. "Now answer my question. Where is Mai?"

He rolls his eyes and leans back. "I told you. I don't know," he said and took a deep breath before continuing. "She broke when you left. Everything seemed to go downhill ever since you did."

"Like?" I asked.

He sighs again and continues. "After you left, she was caught living by herself underage. The apartment she gotten from the help of her teacher was taken away because a new neighbor moved into the building. Apparently, the neighbor noticed that Mai was way too young to be paying for an apartment all by herself. Eventually she was reported, and that's when I started to lose contact with her."

I lean in, interested, "That's impossible. She must have asked help from the team?"

He shakes his head, "We tried Naru. Mai was put into the foster system."

Wide-eyed, I stand up abruptly. "She was put into the foster system?"

"Yes, but I lost track of her. I don't even know what city she's in anymore," he says, his eyebrows furrow. "I couldn't even do anything."

I stare blankly at the floor, my mind fast and rapid, each thought going in different directions.

"Believe me I tried Naru," he says, reaching for my arm from the sofa. "She went into so many homes. She was treated as a freak and-"

"First, _do not_ call me Naru," I said, yanking my arm away, leaving Monk's face surprised and slightly hurt. "And second, what the hell do you mean _a freak_?"

He puts his hands down on his lap, going back to his neutral self. "She was treated like a freak because rumor got around that she had psychic powers. People at her high school treated her worse than they ever did before. They bullied her senseless. I tried to help her, but once her foster parents learned that she had abilities, they didn't want her anymore," he said, his voice slightly shaken by his words.

"Mai didn't want us to help her. She said that she didn't want to bother the gang. But I knew Oliver" Monk continues, his eyes red and filled with sorrow. "I knew in her eyes she needed it."

I let out a shaky breath, and stared wide-eyed out the window as I heard Monk's silent sobs. My thoughts going wild while the anger I had previous to the conversation, transformed into sadness and remorse. I didn't even bother comforting Takigawa.

"How the hell could you not keep track of a 15 year old girl?" I said through clenched teeth, breaking the silence.

Takigawa stops his silent tears and looks up at me from the sofa. "I tried Oliver!" he yells, matching my anger. "Even if I did find Mai again, she would just disappear! I didn't even know why-"

"Enough!" I yell, only to turn away. My sadness was too great and overbearing, as I continued to think about lonely Mai transferring place to place, only to be rejected and treated like scum.

I turn to my tall assistant, his eyebrows furrowed for Mai's wellbeing.

"Come Lin, let's go find Mai."

After Lin had gotten the whereabouts of one of Mai's foster homes, we left the SPR office with Takigawa in it. Calling a cab, I took my seat, overlooking the information Monk left us repeatedly.

I couldn't help but feel a strong sense of anger arise as I thought about my previous conversation I had with Monk. No doubt he felt sorry and regretful about Mai, but I knew there was something the team could have done to make sure Mai was in good hands.

_'I could have helped too, but I was too revolved around my sense of pride to come back to Japan.'_

I let out a frustrated breath as I tell the cab driver to go to the specific address Takigawa wrote on a yellow sticky-note. He nods as Lin scoots in the taxi next to me. An unfamiliar feeling was clenching my heart tight, making me more miserable than I was.

It was like a slap to the face. My worst predictions were becoming true. I've only been here for an hour, maybe even less. I've seen someone that was once very important to me break down in tears. I've learned that my old assistant was alone, and has been ever since I left. Everything was my fault, and I had no clue how to start apologizing.

One of Mai's foster homes was just 20 minutes away from the office. It was a small cottage placed in the country, behind the greenery of trees. It had a small porch that creaked and squeaked when stepped on. A slick layer of ice was slippery under my feet as I opened up the patio door, and slightly knocked.

I was met with a young woman and her husband. He stood over her, crowding his arm above her head, as she leaned against the door frame. She seemed surprised at first, but then politely smiled as we greeted each other.

"My name is Kazuya Shibuya and my assistant Koujo Lin," I said, hinting at the tall man behind me. "I am in charge of Shibuya Psychic Research facility. I used to have an assistant work with me before she was put into the foster system. By some information I received recently, I was informed that a Taniyama Mai lived here. Is that correct?"

The woman was surprised at first, as she took rapid glances to her husband who had a similar expression. Her brow furrowed for a moment before she began.

"Yes..," she said quietly. "It's quite a long story. Would you and your assistant like to come in for some tea?"

I silently agreed, and headed in with Lin close behind. We were greeted with a warm, homey feeling and cream colored walls as we walked in the kitchen with quiet feet. Lin and I casually sat down at their mahogany dining table. The tea was quick and easy as she poured us a cup delicately, her husband watching us closely.

"My apologies, I don't mean to intrude on your lovely home, but my assistant and I were curious about Mai?"

She nods hesitantly, and nervously bites her lip. Before she could reply, her husband intrudes.

"We're not going to take that girl back, if that's what you're saying," he says harshly, rubbing his worrisome wife's back reassuringly.

I look at him with an eyebrow raised. "Would that be a problem?" I asked, more anger in my voice than curiosity. "Is there something _wrong _with my old assistant?"

The husband huffs, "Of course. That _freak_ ruined our lives."

"Honey-" The wife intrudes, placing a hand gently on his shoulder.

"What?" he says, walking away from her. "You know it's true! All she would do is cause trouble for us!"

I break the small quarrel they were having by a quiet laugh, sipping my tea casually as I leaned back.

The husband angry, and slightly shocked, he continues, "What are you laughing about?"

A slight smile was still well on my face, as I set my tea down on my lap. "A fifteen year old can't possibly cause that much trouble. _Especially_ Mai. Don't you think you're being a little overdramatic?"

The wife surprisingly intrudes, "Yes, he is being overdramatic. Mai wasn't _that _troublesome. It was just the fact that she had…"

"-powers?" I finish.

She nods and grasps her husband's hand tightly. "I never knew someone that innocent could have something so... terrifying. Especially when she began screaming in her sleep."

"Screaming in her sleep?" I question.

"Yes, sometimes when we went to bed, in the middle of the night we would hear her yelling. My husband and I would go to check on her, and she'd be crying and mumbling things.. She would always say someone was getting killed, and that she needed to help them. When we ignored her, she pleaded to us that it was real. Everything in her dreams was supposedly real, and there was an evil presence in the house. We ignored it at first and told her it was just a nightmare, but the dreams became repetitive and that's when it started to scare us."

_'Probably her post-cognitive dreams,'_ I thought to myself, remembering how Mai would get strange visions before a case.

"A simple nightmare made two adults scared of a little girl?" I asked, setting my cup down.

"It wasn't just the nightmares..." the wife said nervously, biting her lip.

"What was it, then?"

She ponders for a moment before she speaks again, fiddling with her hands. "When we first accepted Mai into our home, we had no idea about the rumors that were spreading around about her. When we did find out from our neighbors, we ignored it and thought it was a fluke. But when her nightmares became worse and the rumors started to have truth to them, my husband and I needed to get her out of the house as quickly as possible," she said, her eyebrows furrowing. Before she continued, I could see her face scrunch and go sour. "How could we have someone like that contain our growing family with that _evil_?"

Annoyed with the conversation, I turn to my assistant, Lin. He looked just like me: bored and unentertained. But knowing someone for so long, I could sense the worry. He sat casually, his hands clasped together on his lap, but his shoulders were tense as he leaned in and listened carefully.

As soon as I looked back at the couple across from me, I could just feel the anger radiate off of me. I was beyond frustrated with not only this foster family, but also myself. I was feeling feelings I never had before. I couldn't quite comprehend them, and what I felt for Mai's at the moment. But I knew none of the feelings were good ones, so I took them as an irritation from not being able to find her. Satisfied with my theory, I continued with the conversation.

"Yes, you are correct, Mai did have powers. It's something not a normal person like you could understand," I said casually, keeping my anger subtle. "Mai was a psychic of sorts. She could sense presences in a contained area without her consent. She was a stupid, emotional teen with a power she couldn't control and barely understood herself. That didn't mean she was a danger to anyone."

The young couple seemed confused at first at my words. The anger in their eyes slowly becoming more as I sat there, seemingly bored with slight disgust written on my face. It was silent for only a moment before the temperamental husband wanted to defend himself, and say that Mai _was_ a danger. But before I could let them accuse her any longer, I decided to continue with my real intentions from the start.

"Now, as we must be leaving soon, my assistant and I need to have the information on Mai's foster homes."

The husband quickly nods, and walks away for a moment. Shuffling through a file drawer, he pulls out a heavy folder and hands it to me without hesitation.

"That should be all the information about Mai," he said, sighing. "Her whereabouts should be somewhere in that stack of papers."

I stare blankly for a moment at the mess of papers that was piled into my hands. My frustration level rising, I decide to hand the folder to Lin.

"Thank you," I said, as the married couple walked us to the door. I attempted to hurry my steps, but I failed when I realized I had to wait for Lin, who was juggling the heavy stack of papers in his hands.

It was quiet when they opened up the door for us, their anger with Lin and I evident on their faces. I had accused them of treating a fifteen year old girl terribly, and I insinuated that they were being childish, which resulted in their anger. They had every right to be angry, but I couldn't help but feel that their frustration lessened mine. I enjoyed that they felt embarrassed that a simple little girl had scared them five years ago. I enjoyed that they were ashamed.

Like their anger didn't satisfy me enough, I decided to mention something else as I headed out behind Lin.

"If what you said was true about Mai sensing ghosts here," I said quietly, so Lin couldn't overhear me. I took a few rapid glances, checking behind us, and finally leaning in close between the two. They flinched at my actions, but reluctantly leaned in as well. I stared blankly at the door behind them, my eyes wide and dark. I could almost hear them shiver as they examined my serious features closely. My next words were quiet, low, and deadly all at once.

"_She was right_," I whispered.

A cold breeze broke our conversation when I left them standing there, with their gasps held in their throat. I turned around slowly, making quiet footsteps on their weathered porch. I could almost hear their cries, as we drove away in the slush, with terrified faces in the review mirror.

My satisfied smirk was growing by the seconds, as I thought about my achievement of scaring the young couple. Lin sat there puzzled for the longest time as he pondered how I could be so happy. As usual, I had kept it to myself.

The condensation on the cab's window was becoming more intense. Outside had become more ridged than I anticipated. The damp air made my hands sweaty as I shuffled through the mess of papers the man had given us. I was slightly frustrated he had given them to me in such a manner, but I most likely deserved it from insulting them. Lin probably thought I deserved it as well, as I sometimes feel the death glares he shoots behind my back when I do something rash.

Lin has had a way of watching over me since we first met. His issues with the Japanese were idiotic, and that's what I told him when he first argued with me. That was simply how we became closer in our partnership. We hadn't ever had a real conversation, like most assistants do with their bosses, but it was close enough. Lin and I liked the silence, but that never meant we could never be friends. I watch his back, and he watches mine. That's how it's always been.

I liked the quiet rather too much for others to accept. Alone was how I preferred to be. Not because I had a phobia, or that I hated people, it was just because I was comforted by the silence. It soothed me to know that my mind was the only one in the room. I feel bothered by other thoughts that intruded on mine. I could express things I can't express with others. The troubled feelings I have about various things were somehow settled when I thought about them in solitude. Loneliness welcomed me with open arms when I first discovered it, and I've been wrapped in it since.

Any sort of giddiness had died out quickly. My mind was now set where it should be. I had finally found the tiny stack paper clipped together that described where Mai would be staying.

"I know why Monk couldn't find Mai," I said simply to Lin, who seemed surprised at my words.

"Why, Noll?" he asks, curious.

I let out a huff, but I couldn't help but feel my eyebrows furrow a moment before I spoke. "That family we just visited wasn't even sure if her files were in here. They just tossed me them. They didn't even bother to organize them. It's probable that they would bother talking to any of the SPR members about Mai either. With this information in their house, the team couldn't possibly find out where she is."

I could hear Lin sigh deeply, as he pondered on it for a moment. I eventually gripped the bridge of my nose tightly, but then traveled my hand up and wriggled my fingers through my hair. I released a sigh as well.

'_I'm probably not supposed to have this detailed information about Mai either.'_

The next house we visited pressured Lin and I with a different atmosphere. The conversation never lasted as long. We were greeted with another couple, yet again, with the same problem. Except, only this time, they never let up on the insults about Mai. Instead of being regretful about getting rid of the fifteen year old girl, they were seemingly proud.

The couple was a lot older than the one before. The wife seemed to talk more than her husband had. He was half sitting, half laying on the couch, when we first walked into their home. Dressed in sweatpants and shirt stained with a yellow substance, the husband didn't bother greeting us. He sat there, his gaze fixated on the TV, while his wife attempted to care that we were there. She offered us coffee, which I quickly denied, remembering the bitter taste it gave me instead of my Earl Grey tea.

The conversation was quick and brief, but I remember the comments about Mai, and how terrifying she was. This foster family hadn't actually experienced Mai's powers themselves, but the rumors were enough to convince them otherwise. The wife told us repeatedly that she did a good thing by kicking her out of the home. She had said that Mai would never do the chores she was assigned to do, and she said that was enough reason to find another foster child replacement.

I sat there obviously disgusted. I didn't care about what I looked like in front of these people. Anyway that I looked, these people looked worse. I didn't even bother asking for their names.

I quickly made my way out with Lin after I had gotten the file about her next foster home. We exited out as fast as our feet could take us.

The day was growing colder as we visited Mai's homes. Each were the same, if not more gruesome, as the one before them. I became slightly frustrated and eager to finding my assistant. Time was passing quickly and before we knew it, it was already sunset. I could sense Lin's exhaustion from today's travels, but I refused to quit the search.

Japan's sunsets are exactly how I remember them. Vibrant oranges and yellows were soft, while varieties of pinks were spilt on top. As the bright sun lost its radiance from today's rotation, my exhaustion came into play as well. The sleepless flight here was taking a toll on my body, and my resiliency to pay attention was lessening. A sharp pain started at the base of my temple when we reached yet another home, which hindered my ability to control my actions when it came to talking to the parents.

Lin took a notice too, before we headed into the fifth home.

"Something wrong, Noll?" he asked quietly, still looking at files in the cab next to me.

I shook my head slightly, and watched the trees pass us by. "Just a headache," I said.

He didn't reply, because he knew I gotten them often, and probably shouldn't be conversed with when I did. I quickly took some medicine out of my suitcase and gulped it down with my bottle of water. It seemed to help for a while, but no later than five minutes; the headache was more intense than before.

I pinned my finger at the base of my temple, as I continued to look out the cab. The sharp pain was becoming more than I'd ever felt. The pang would lessen at times, making it bearable, but it still was becoming more as time preceded. I quickly became very frustrated, so I rolled down the cab's window. The freezing air hit my feverish head, and relief came over me for a while. It still wasn't enough, but it held me off till we finally arrived at the fifth home.

The fifth home was small, stuck between other houses stacked right next to each other. The windows were lined with bars tightly, the barking of dogs were heard close by. Lin gives me a worried look before we head in, but I ignore it and proceed anyway.

The headache was still growing as I struggled through the wet snow to the porch. Japan's cold weather did nothing for my boiling frustrations. My head was too warm and hot with pain that I even took off my winter coat. Lin's worried expression grew more noticeable as we knocked on the next door. I attempted to go back to my non-emotional self, but failed when I was greeted with the most repulsive man I had ever met.

I tried to ignore the strong sense of alcohol on his breath as he spoke. His round, bulging eyes were alarming and also slightly terrifying as he gave us a frown that revealed his yellow teeth.

"Who're you?" he asked, crossing his arms around his large stomach.

"My name is Kazuya Shibuya, and my assistant Koujo Lin. I was informed that you are a foster provider and recently took care of a girl named Mai?" I spoke, trying to ignore the sharp pain in my head.

The man's forehead wrinkles as his frown grows. "Yeah, she used to live here. She ran away 'long time ago," he said, grabbing the door. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm busy."

Reactions setting in, I abruptly wedged my foot in between the door, stopping the man. He looked at me surprised, his eyes wider than before.

"Mai ran away? Why didn't you let the authorities know?" I said, louder than necessary.

He shrank back a couple of steps, sneering. "They didn't need to know."

"Don't you think if an underage girl ran away, they would need to be informed?" I said, my anger finally reaching its peak after today. I was frustrated, and my head hurt. This man wasn't helping himself by being non-cooperative.

"No one cared about that girl anyway," he said, rolling his eyes. "Why do you care about her? Are you some ex-boyfriend that forgot about her too?"

I didn't even crack a smile, but stayed completely serious. "No," I said, wedging my foot in between the door even more. "Do you want me to let the authorities know that you let an underage girl go like that? Or do you want to cooperate so my assistant and I can get on our way?"

It took him only a few seconds to think it over before he finally agreed. The man nodded, and let the door open only a crack more. Satisfied, I continued.

"Why did you let her run away?" I questioned, crossing my arms.

He shrugs his shoulders and gives me a disturbing smile. "You get paid 'lots to take care of a snot-nose kid. Not doing it anymore though," he said.

"So you let her run away while you still got the paycheck?" I asked.

"You got it."

I shifted my gaze to the floor for a minute. My frustration was overbearing and slightly disappointing as I had come all this way for nothing. The pang in my temple was becoming more, but I seemed unbothered by it for only moment. I let out a deep sigh before saying my goodbyes.

"Thank you for your time," I said, not bothering to look the man in the face. My voice was quiet, attempting to hide the disappointment deep within my throat.

I was suddenly reminded of my headache again, as I spun around too quickly. My eyes gotten foggy, going in zig-zags as I attempted to walk back to our cab. Every step I took worsened the throbbing, and intensified the dizziness. It seemed like forever before I actually reached the car, but by that time, I was already in agony.

I cringed in pain, as I gripped the sides of my head. The pain was very unfamiliar, as it took a huge toll on my body, frankly surprising me. Lin quickly took notice, and grabbed me by the shoulder.

"Noll, are you okay?" he said, pulling me slightly.

"Yes, I'm fine," I said, cowering from his voice. It was like a needle pinning my head against one side.

The scene I had was quick, but very painful. I leaned against the cab for support, but the sounds around me made it more agonizing. I groaned in pain, my fingers digging at my scalp for something to lessen the headache. I felt Lin's hands attempt to hold me up by my shoulders, but failing when I eventually hit my knees in the slush. Nausea and drowsiness took over the pain, and I dropped to the floor. I could barely hear Lin yelling for help, when the darkness surrounded me, and pulled me into nothingness.

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><p><strong>Can you tell I like to leave you with cliff hangers? *evil laugh*<strong>

**Everything will be explained soon, so just hang in there! *Pats back***

**(By the way, I tend to write faster with more reviews. *wink wink* )**

**Alright, enough with the virtual actions. I thank you for the many follows, favs, reviews, etc! Please read and review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt.**

**This chapter is all in Mai's POV, since it only seemed fair. Hope you enjoy!**

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><p>Chapter 4: Two saviors.<p>

**Mai P.O.V.**

I remember the day when I first met him. His jet black hair was casted in his face, like it was throughout the time we were together. His blue eyes were dark, almost the same color when he said goodbye. His glistening pale skin was hindered by the disappointment he held behind, when he asked me the question that drug me down into the depths of where I am today. The cool autumn's air was almost too still, when he left me standing there. It was the day a beautiful Narcissist left me, and sent my world to ruins. Only the warmth of tears kept me company for the next five years. What he left behind were only his footsteps, and a trail of a new hatred I'd grown for him soon after.

I could never forget the fat rain drops falling against my young skin. I was only fifteen when my heart was broken, in many more ways than one. A man I had come to love was only in my imagination, so was the safety I felt when I came home to my apartment to find out it was taken away. I never felt such disappointment in not only the others who left me, but in myself. I was ignorant, and oblivious to the thought someone like me, could end up where I am today.

Everyone knew about me. Whether it is the truth or the lies that spread across the small towns I lived in, I was known. I was different, and that's what scared them the most. That's why I could never get a proper job. I was left with no one to hold onto as I balanced on a ledge and no one to catch me when I fell.

I was a lost puppy that's been starving for the company of another for years. The friends I had almost called family were lost to me. I didn't know how to get back home with the little money I had and the shape I was in. For once in my life, I didn't have a choice. My only choice was to make life the best I could where I stood.

I was surrounded by darkness for years. The constant ring of loneliness transformed into bitterness. Every day I woke up, and I was reminded I was still Mai Taniyama: the girl everyone hated. I was dirt of the earth. I was cold.

I was only reminded of the warmth of light when a grumpy old man came into my life, and saved me from myself. A piece of the bubbly girl I once was, had been put together, in hopes of finding joy in my life once again. I became something more on that day. I was no longer a lost puppy, but rather a puppy that had finally found its owner.

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><p>I sat in front of a small fire I built in a clearing. I wrapped myself in a thin blanket I kept inside my coat for emergencies. My knees were hugged close to my chest, my feet warming by my own body heat. I sat there on frost covered grass with my head tucked in from the cold, contemplating on random things to pass time. I thought about things that make me happy, and I reminisced about certain memories that made me smile for a moment, but it often disappeared quickly. Most of my fond memories are with the SPR team, and I had to remember that they weren't present in my life anymore.<p>

Thinking about memories seemed to work and pass time quickly. Almost _too_ quickly. The sun hit at an angle, making tan rays shine bright against my pale face. A sunset consisting of all warm colors was forming, bringing the day to an end. As twilight began, my nerves quickened, and so did my worries for the old man.

I attempted to make my mind as calm as possible. I focused on my surroundings, drowning my worries away slowly. I looked up against the galaxy sky. Twinkling white stars glazed my eyes. Tiny balls of flames pricked the night, making the darkness slightly less intimidating than it was. I wondered for a second how it would feel to be like them. So small, yet so filled with energy they had the power to fill the gloomy blackness with certain brilliance. The thought only distracted me for a moment, before I was again transfixed on my situation.

The cold became harsh. It was too intense for any living creature to be out and about. The fat moon disappeared behind inky clouds that shifted together slowly, and the radiant stars becoming less. Resulting of my small fire, rapid shadows flickered across the ground, creating a light glow against the trees surrounding me.

I was in a panic. The harsh weather around me couldn't make me forget the worry etching against my brain about the old man. I felt something was wrong, but I also felt that I was over-analyzing. I knew I was dwelling far more than I should of, but I couldn't help it. The old man had become important to me within the little time we spent together. I remember his tone of voice. It was harsh, but also comforting in a strange way. His big, bony hands were warm as he held them dearly. He was a gentle old man, with a gruff look to him. He might have been old, but he radiated with strength.

"What if he left me here?" I suddenly asked myself, but guilt quickly clouded my mind at the thought. I recalled the man's gentleness and sense of kind nature. I knew the old man was rough, but he wasn't a kind of man to leave a girl alone in the woods.

_'Alone in the woods,'_ I thought to myself, suddenly remembering where I was. I took a glance around me. Behind the grays and muddy greens of the trees, was nothing but darkness. Beyond the pines, you could see nothing. My small fire created a small radius of light surrounding only me. Anything passing that radius of light was completely dark, blending in with the black sky, resulting in a big blur of nothing.

Like the world was mocking me, I heard something approach me with heavy, wet steps. They shuffled through the compacted snow slowly. Greatly surprised, I whipped around in my awkward position. Only then, did I regret it, when a bright light flashed into my eyes, and a voice so startling it made me jump.

At first, I was perplexed. It wasn't the volume that stunned me, but rather the way he interrupted the silence. I was so consumed in the quiet that I had come accustomed to it. Hearing someone speak after so long left me frankly dumbfounded, and my mind blank for a short period of time. After a moment, I hadn't had a clue what the strange voice said, but I was saved the confusion when it spoke again.

"Well, well," he said. His voice was still startling, yet smooth like chocolate as he spoke. "It's Mai Taniyama."

I stood up abruptly, letting the blanket slide down my shoulders. I reached out a hand to block the light that shined in my eyes as I replied. "Who the hell is talking?" I asked urgently. "Show yourself!"

Surprisingly, the man did as I asked. He set his flashlight lazily towards the ground. My vision was an intense blur, which took some time to shoo away. By a couple of steady blinks, my sight cleared, and I was able to see who I was facing with.

The first thing I noticed was his hair. It was slick and glossy as it slid back against the nape of his neck. His hair so white, I had a hard time telling the delicate snowflakes from his real hair color as they fell gently from the dark sky. It had only taken me a few moments to recollect my memories while I stood there awkwardly. But I only needed a few moments to clear my blank mind, and finally realize who was standing before me.

I could never forget his malicious smile. His sharp jaw was relaxed, and so were his brows as he eyed me suspiciously.

I clenched my fists tight, finally coming to my senses. "What do you want?" I said, slightly shaking. "Why do you always bother me?"

He looks at me confused for a moment, but the smile on his face never disappearing as he continues. "As an officer of the law, I'm requiring you to call me by my name."

_'An officer of the law,' _I remembered, quietly punishing myself for being so stupid. I always had forgotten that this man was a police officer, and a very bad one at that. I always seem to forget that my anger towards others always seem to get me in more trouble than I already am.

My eyes lingered down to what he was wearing, as if I had to prove his statement before. A small bronze badge was planted on his chest that changed reflection depending on where you stood. Underneath was a black suit and tie, with the same color trousers. He stood tall, with very good posture. At first glance, the man was a very handsome police officer, but his high cheek bones and white smile never fooled me. For I always saw a glint of a particular maliciousness caught in his eyes, and a smirk so wide it made him look at times repulsive, and scary.

"Mai," he said calmly, taking a step towards me. "I'm_ ordering_ you to call me by my name."

His tone was startling, and I replied without hesitation. "Y-Yes Officer Hikaru," I said, still surprised by the harsh way he spoke. Any confidence I had previous had regretfully disappeared. I remembered the way Hikaru gotten mad and I didn't want to be on the other end of the fight when he did.

After only a couple months of being out of the foster system, and into my new reckless life, was when I met Hikaru. He found me digging through fresh garbage in a wet space between two buildings. He recognized the supernatural psychic and he told me to scram, and has been keeping an eye on me since. The struggle to find food became harder than it was, and his eagerness to pinpoint my position all of the time made me frustrated.

Hikaru was different in my mind, somehow. He wasn't quite like the other bullies I met throughout my teen years. It was true, he called me the same things the others did, but there was a tone to his voice that was calm and collected. He was never angry. His eyes were a bewitching, subtle green, with a twinge of something I wasn't familiar with. They were always bored when he was sipping his daily coffee. But once he caught sight of me, they pierced my skin with a study-like feeling that made me shiver. Whatever Hikaru was, it wasn't a good thing, and I've known that for quite some time.

Hikaru breaks me out of my trance by clicking off his flashlight. His smile was still wide, slightly crinkling his nose as he spoke once more. "Do you know Mai, that this is a park closed for the winter?"

I slightly cringe from my idiocy, recalling the conversation I had with the old man earlier. I grip the end of my sleeves tight, my cold feet rubbing up against each other. I was in a fix, and I had to quickly come up with a reason to why I was here.

I suddenly change the topic, in hopes of him forgetting his question. I ask him something that I was rather interested in myself.

"Why are you always following me? How did you even know I was here?" I asked, slightly shocked by my bravery.

He looks at me slightly hurt, but in a sarcastic way that he used to his advantage. "Follow you? I am only keeping an eye on little Mai Taniyama."

I was startled, once again on how strange the man was acting. I considered him for a moment that he was out of his mind, and didn't know who I was. But I knew he showed no signs of such things, and I quickly came to realize what I was really up against.

I remember the way Hikaru always looked at me. He held something behind those eyes that didn't think I was psychic freak that often others did. He considered me something far more, but I was vaguely familiar of it. The way he presented himself towards me was never in an angry way, but rather a dark, brooding way, that made my heart pump faster than it should have. I was a woman and he, a man. The way he treated me was more kind than others, and only in this moment, made me realize how dangerous my position is.

Hikaru breaks the deep silence by taking a quiet step towards me. It was slow, but it held strength, and a sense of eagerness that made me back away. My foot reached out of the clearing I built and landed in the snow. My feet stung with cold. They were numb, but not numb enough to not feel the snow stab them with their icy touch.

"I'm not little," I said, recalling his previous answer to my question.

He looks at me with his brows raised, "You aren't?"

I suddenly regret my comment, as I notice he takes another step towards me. I shake my head nevertheless, and continue to back up. His nose was pointed towards the ground, but his eyes never left me. They lingered on me in a strange way that it had gotten me to think if he looked at me that way before. I quickly brushed it off, focusing on the man before me.

His smile was growing wider in the passing seconds. He attempted to bring his body closer to mine, but failing when I pulled back at his slightest move. My heart began to beat faster, going out of its rhythmic motion. Palms sweaty, and nerves twitching, I decided to distract him out of his intentions.

I nervously picked at a loose thread that hung off my coat sleeve, trying to gather up the courage to speak again. I bit back my lip, in attempted to make them stop trembling as I continued to face the man before me. He was still taking kindly steps towards me, but his eagerness shown quite obvious in his attempts draw me closer.

"Do you always follow homeless women around like this?" I said, with brave words.

He laughs big. "Not always," he says, admitting something I had a hard time comprehending. "But I do like to follow you around."

I was stunned. For a moment, I had forgotten about the cold. I mouthed my next words carefully. But only a moment later, I realized no sound had come out. I staggered, utterly astounded by his honesty. He seemed rather entertained by my shock, which only quickened his steps.

Still in my position, I had forgotten Hikaru moved towards me. I was still standing there, unmoving, the deep snow still surrounding my calves. My eyes were hollow and blank as I stared at my feet, deep in thought. I recalled the many memories I had with Hikaru, finally putting the pieces together.

When I looked up, I was met with his green eyes again. Only this time, they were much closer than they were before. I wasn't surprised, like I have been before, but I looked into them deeply with the little courage I had left inside.

"What do you want with me?" I asked, clenching my fists.

His smile suddenly disappears, growing entirely serious. "You're very alluring, Mai."

I shake my head, but my eyes never left his. "Answer my question." I ordered, each word holding power.

Suddenly, all was quiet. Even the crackling of my small fire was gone, the wind taking it with. I could barely see Hikaru's face. All that was left was his large silhouette and the bitter silence. I could feel his shivering breath on my face: warm, but it raised my nerves intensely as I stared into his dark face. I forgotten all about my question, but focused on steadying my shaking breath. Only when he spoke again, was I reminded of what all of this meant.

He voice was quiet all together. Each word was filled with a vile viciousness and a tone so wicked, it sent a deep shiver down my spine.

"I want you."

Those three words were the words that made me whip around in a flash. My gasp was still held in my throat, but my heart beat faster than it had before.

I ran as fast as my numb feet could take me. Nothing but pure will and the fear I retained through the whole event, was now my energy. Barefooted, of course, I didn't get away. I stumbled on slick ice, and fell on my stomach. I reached for something to help me back up, but it was far too late. A dark silhouette was there above me. My efforts to save myself were a quick failure. Fear tore through me and my instincts were to scream. But for some reason, the sound couldn't quite come out. It had seemed like, in those moments, I was too stunned to say anything. My brain filled with terrible notions that were in my future, and I patiently awaited them. Knowing my luck, I knew I wasn't going to end with the happy ending I had always wished for. Regretfully, within those seconds, I accepted any fate that was going to happen on this terrible night.

Suddenly, those thoughts were erased, when a voice so comforting interrupted my fears and replaced them with hope. I couldn't make out the words, but I knew who they belonged to.

I was stunned, when I saw the old man take the police officer off of me. They wrestled on the ground. It was a miraculous thing to see, and the only words I could sum up were not anything special, but it was a reassurance to the old man that I was still well.

"Old man?" I gasped, still in shock.

He peered over his shoulder for only a moment, before he was again attacking the police officer. I stared, wide-eyed at the two men tumbling in the snow. They were going so fast, I couldn't tell who was who. I was sitting there in the snow, dumbfounded. I wanted to say something, but fear was still an obstacle I couldn't surpass.

The old man's breathing was ragged, but he was still well aware what was doing. He wiped the warm, slick, red substance running down his chin, and continued with the little strength he had. He dug his fingers in the officer's eyes, making him scream and flail his arms. The screams were so excruciatingly painful that the old man cowered. Taking advantage of the old man's weak point, the officer lunged back with all the energy he had. He took the old man's shoulders, and they switched positions. He dug his knees into the old man's stomach with his weight, and clasped his throat with his hand. The officer's eyes were not the way they used to be. His keen, intelligent green eyes were now filled with craze and cruel intentions.

I remember the sounds of bone cracking. The old man's face was no longer his face. Over and over again, Hikaru's fist crushed the old man's nose and jaw. The noises were terrorizing with their unfamiliar snapping of bone and the soft cushion of skin getting bruised. A brutal scream seemed to finally erupt from my lips, and breaking me out of any trance I was in.

My intentions were to run to my old friend, but I was stopped yet again. Only this time, my shock was greater than before.

Two men came out of the darkness and lunged at Hikaru. They were tall, and much larger than the officer himself to take on. By a couple of words and a few punches, Hikaru ran off limping in the wet snow. He disappeared behind the pines, leaving me with the two strangers before me.

I ignored my saviors, and dashed to the old man. His unmoving body was frightening, but I shook the fear away. I fell to my knees in the red snow, and grabbed his head gently with my hands. I brushed his wet, grey hair away from his brown eyes, and looked into them closely. Nothing but pain and terror glazed them. I ignored the aching pain in my heart and laid his head in my lap. His breathing was quiet, but very quick making his chest do rapid up and down motions. I wanted to lull him something that might sooth him, but all that came out was a croak, and eventually within seconds, tears too.

I noticed him move sometime after. It was only his arm, but it was enough to stop my sobbing for a moment. He reached towards his feet, without moving his head of course, and placed his hand in his pocket. I was confused for the short time, but I quickly realized what he was doing.

The old man grabbed ahold of something in his pocket, groaned, and then eventually pulled it out. He laid it down, signaling for me to take it. A chocolate bar was balancing on his heaving, bony chest. I sat there confused for a second. My tears were still there, but only this time they were silent. I looked at him deeply, finally realizing why he was so late.

The thought crashed down on me. The old man he had been looking for food. He was looking for something to ease my hungry stomach that I had mentioned right before he left me. I had to recall the irritable conversation we had when I first met him. Instead of learning my name, he wanted to know what my favorite food was. _That_ is the reason why he was late. _That_ is the reason my worries were so severe. Suddenly, drowning my surroundings, I brushed the man's scruffy beard.

"Chocolate," I whispered, letting the tears fall on his face. My lips trembled intensely, tears consuming me before I continued. "If only I had asked you for a buffet, then maybe you wouldn't be here."

I took the chocolate bar away and I set my head down on his chest, listening to his breathing. I let the cold surround me as I lie there, almost as unmoving as the man below me. I heard two other voices calling out for me, but I ignored them. I closed my eyes, feeling the old man's warmth and the comfort of his heartbeat sooth me. I felt exhaustion overwhelm me, and finally the fear I once had, leave me for good. As my tears continued to run down my face, joy sprang through me when a certain thought blossomed in my mind.

_'The old man is alive.'_

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><p><strong>Can you guess who the two strangers were? <strong>

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter! As always, thank you for the reviews!**

**R&R**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt.**

**This chapter was a bit rushed! It's also a tad shorter than the ones I've written before, but I sincerely hope you guys enjoy!**

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><p>Chapter 5: Caretaker<p>

**Mai P.O.V.**

I have once heard that humans are the most selfish creatures in the universe. Even when someone dies we weep, not for the sake of being sad, but because of the fact that the person is not here to give us what they were able to give before. It's terrible to admit, but that's exactly how I've been feeling.

For years, I've grieved over my parents death. I woke up hoping everything was a bad dream. I expected them to see them in the kitchen on Monday morning to see me off to school. But, of course, they never were. Every day became like that. Every day was repeated. Over and over again, I had to remember that they were dead. Even weeks after their absence, it had still felt so fresh in my mind. It was all so foreign to me. It took me months or perhaps even years to realize what my parents were. I had to slowly accept that they weren't there anymore. My parents didn't _exist_. They were nothing but rotting carcasses underground.

As time goes on, we forget the little memories that used to be important. We forget the way someone smells, or how they dress. Tiny fragments turn into smaller ones. Eventually, they disappear to the back of our mind, until something comes up to remind us that they were still there.

I figured that's how Naru felt, anyway. He went to England to find closure in burying his twin brother, Eugene. I never spoke a word to the Narcissist. Hell, I hardly looked at him since he and Lin saved the old man. But I knew what he was feeling without even taking a glance. Naru was reminded of Eugene as he stared at the beaten up man in the white hospital bed. I knew this because I was reminded of my parents. He and I were complete opposites, but I knew death held the same emotions in everyone.

I sat patiently, listening to the soft beeps of the heart monitor. It was annoying as hell, but it was reassuring in a way. They soothed me, almost like a lullaby as I leaned forward and rested my elbows on my knees. I could have fallen asleep, but my eyes never left the old man. I stared closely at his hand. Age spots scattered his knuckles, some bigger than others. Wrinkles creased his hands immensely, but they looked so soft and gentle. I couldn't help but place my small hand in his big one. He was warmer than he was before, which seemed to send a message of relief to my mind instantly. The doctor had said he was in good condition, but would be unconscious for some time.

"He's old and fragile. It will take some time to recover," the doctor had said, signaling to the man lying on the bed. I had to stifle a laugh at the doctor's irony. He himself was old, and had a tendency to push his glasses at the end of his nose as he spoke. I figured it was to make him look more intelligent but I didn't think much of it.

I noticed my two saviors eye me strangely once they noticed I seemed happy. But eventually, they understood my joy. I couldn't say I was joyful, but I was something close to that. I just learned that my friend is healthy, and the thought made me happier than usual.

Of course, I never forgot the two men that saved me. Their presence was a greater shock than anything. My heart broke into pieces every time I even took a glance at the handsome Oliver Davis and his tall, intimidating assistant Koujo Lin. Memories flashed across my eyes like nothing I've seen before. Tears had been already running down my face when I spotted them. But the tears came faster when I finally registered in my mind just _who_ these men were. Emotions flooded me, drowning me in a certain despondency. I disguised my misery for them by claiming it was for the old man. It hadn't been a complete lie. It was a mix of both, really. But most of my tears were for my saviors.

So here I was, holding the man's hand with my own. I was still without shoes, but the feeling of melting chocolate inside my coat kept me preoccupied. I knew that I had gotten hurt during the attack, but I didn't care to mention it. I was so mentally drained and exhausted, that I didn't have the energy to answer or even bother to listen to the doctor's questions. Partly because I didn't have an answer and partly because I didn't want to relive the moments tonight. It was still frightening and I still shook because of it.

I ignored my nerves. I let go of the old man's hand after a while, making sure my eyes avoided his face. It wasn't recognizable anymore and I was afraid if I did look at it again, I would break out in sobs.

Sometime later, while I stared off in space, I heard a deep voice sound across from the room. I hadn't noticed he was there before. The handsome man blended in with the shadows rather easily.

"Do you need a nurse?" he said quietly but I heard his empathy loud and clear, even in his attempts to hide it under a mask.

I considered yelling at him for a moment. I did want to yell at him, more than anything. I've been waiting for this moment for years. I imagined this day where I would drown him with the guilt of leaving me, and force him on his knees to beg forgiveness. Of course, I couldn't do that. I was weary and tired. I wasn't sure if I was physically hurt, or just a pain I was making up in my head. But it didn't matter because I was so exhausted, and the heat shooting from the hospital vents made it more difficult to keep my eyes open. I decided to answer Naru's question with another question. It was a question that I was sure I couldn't go to sleep without knowing.

I sat still, my hands clasped together tightly. I tried to avoid his intense blue eyes that bore into me. "How did you find me?" I asked.

Naru stiffened. He was silent for a while, as if considering if he should answer or not. I heard him sigh slightly before he spoke again.

"It was a dream," he said, his quiet voice almost a whisper.

I tensed as well, suddenly very interested in what he had to say. "A dream?"

He nodded once. I kept my eyes fixated on the old man's hand, while at times making rapid glances back to Naru. I waited for him to keep going with his story, but silently waiting, I finally realized it wasn't coming.

I didn't pester him because I eventually got the basics of it. I figured his psychic powers had something to do with it. They always had something to do with it, and that was enough information I needed for my mind to be subtle for the rest of the night. Now I could sleep peacefully with the little knowledge I gathered today.

I guessed that our small conversation had ended after five minutes of silence. I leaned back on my folded chair that was the same color as everything in the hospital: white. It wasn't like I was filthy, but if I had a choice to wash my clothes I would. Homeless don't really have that choice, especially in the winter. Still, I felt bad about getting mud on their fine furniture. It was the cleanest thing I've seen in a while, which only made me feel more out of place. But then again, I had to remember that I _was _in a hospital and I could likely take a bath. Not to mention, get a new set of clothes.

But, of course, I was too tired to do anything. Time did nothing but worsen my fatigued self. I lulled my head back against the chair, and stared at the ceiling. I traced the cracks and imperfections with my eyes, contemplating on random things that weren't exactly important. For a while, I had forgotten that the blue eyed scientist was still present in the room. I forgot that he was still looking at me. Little did I know he had been watching me the entire time. Since I was upon his arrival, he has done nothing but watch my movements as he himself, wondered just who I was now.

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><p><strong>Naru P.O.V.<strong>

I watched Mai stare at the walls. My gaze was strangely set on her face. Her eyes weren't the same as I remembered them. They were dull but oddly concentrated. Her once young skin was so darkened with dirt and exhaustion that I had a difficult time noticing her changes with age. Although, I decided that her looks weren't important. From across the room, I curiously studied my former assistant.

Confusion was something I never experienced often in England. Repeatedly, my days were spent reading. From fiction to nonfiction, it hadn't mattered. Anything that entertained me for even a fraction of my day was enough to keep me from going insane. I visited my parents periodically. Small talk was all I ever let our conversations amount to. If they had gone farther than that, Luella always seemed to change the course by talking about relationships. Every time she did mention the word 'girlfriend', it became a natural instinct to create an excuse to leave. I would say I needed to get back to my studying or that I needed to run an errand for Lin. My mother being my mother, she accepted that I was busy. But Luella knew that I avoided the conversations about relationships because it was a touchy subject. When my mother figured out I didn't like to talk about it, she happily ignored it. But, sometimes even my mother's curiosity gets the best of her.

It wasn't like I hadn't thought about that. Ever so often, I imagined myself happily married. It was a happiness that I wasn't sure if I could handle, but the thought at least kept me entertained until I had to create something new to replace it.

I finally caught myself staring into space, and that _space_ happened to be Mai. Blinking a few times, I realized her eyes were no longer drifting across the room. Instead, they were closed while her mouth inched its way open.

Confusion, indeed, was what I was feeling. Questions bubbled up from every part of my brain; I hadn't known which ones to ask first.

'_Who was the elderly man? Why did that officer attack her? Why did Mai look like she just crawled up from deepest part of hell?'_

Searching through my thoughts like it was a filing cabinet; I finally found the question that's been bothering me most.

'_When I lose consciousness, why do I see Mai in dangerous situations?'_

The thought was frustrating. For all my years constantly studying Parapsychology, researching American philosophers, or even listening to my scientist father about his knowledge, I've never once considered something like this. Throughout my life, my psychometric abilities or even my PK, had been hard to accept. It was interesting, no doubt, but it overwhelmed me. Days I had practiced to control them and use them to my advantage. I helped others who were in need of my abilities, but I never expressed how they engulfed me with the exhaustion. Not physically exhausted, but mentally. They caused me great pain in the past, and now to the point where I can barely use them. I was frankly annoyed. Now, not only do I have another ability, but it's also something I've never heard of. I don't have the patience to deal with unfamiliar situations like this, especially when it involves myself.

I sat there for twenty minutes more, trying to avoid Mai's sleeping face. The drool in the corner of her mouth becoming more in the passing seconds, and her awkward position on the chair made me itch with irritation. It looked very uncomfortable, but her face said otherwise. I could have said it was peaceful, but that would have also been a lie. It looked more like she passed out from fatigue.

My eyes traveled elsewhere, trying to get the image out of my head before I went over there and wiped the drool off of her chin myself. Instead, my eyes caught her feet. Small and petite, they sprawled out across the floor. But I also took notice that they were calloused and raw, which made another question pop into my mind.

'_Had she been barefooted this whole time?'_

I hadn't noticed this when my vision came to me earlier today. I was too focused on who was attacking Mai, and where she was located. I paid close attention to her surroundings when I blacked out. When I awoke no later than an hour, I told Lin what I seen. Luckily, the whereabouts of Mai I had distinctly remembered from my childhood. My parents took me and Eugene to the same pathetic park on our frequent trips to Japan. Fortunately, I immediately took notice and we were just in time to save Mai and her elderly friend.

I didn't know if it was a coincidence or not, but I didn't dwell on the thought. Instead, I decided to dwell on the fact that Mai's feet were probably frozen. She denied any care by the hospital, for reasons I still couldn't understand. Mai ignored Lin and I. She avoided all eye contact with either of us, and certainly made sure that she had no intentions of starting a conversation with anyone.

I didn't mind. I was actually grateful. Mai was most likely fuming rage inside of that little body of hers, and I, myself, want to avoid it as much as possible. I wasn't technically afraid of being ranted at, but I didn't want to deal with the trouble of explaining myself. The burden I've been carrying for years about the guilt of leaving Mai was still there, and I didn't want to waste time thinking about it. My assistant was mad, but I already _knew_ that. The last thing I needed is a frustrated woman let out her anger at me. But eventually, that rage will soon reach its peak, and I will have to face the consequences.

_'Consequences?'_ I suddenly asked myself, rising from my position against the wall. '_I did nothing wrong, I simply left to live in England. Mai doesn't control where I live. I'm __**not **__Mai's caretaker.'_

Satisfied with my defense, I left the room, but only before a moment. I walked in the empty hallways of the hospital, passing multiple corners and occasionally glancing into the silent rooms. Finding my footing, I quickened my pace towards my destination. I arrived at the main room, where Lin was at. Once I spotted him sitting like he normally did, I noticed something different. His head hung low, and his back was slumped. Lin's black hair covered most of his peaceful expression before I realized what had happened.

I was shocked to see Lin sleeping. As idiotic as it sounds, I had never seen Lin like this. He was obviously exhausted from today's travels and from sleepless flight here. But realizing I was wasting precious time, I quickly dismissed it and rolled my eyes rather dramatically. My assistant obviously lost his tolerance for staying awake throughout the years.

'_Well, he is getting older,' _I noted.

I didn't think much about it. Instead, I pulled a one of the nurses working the night shift, and asked her for something I needed. Once I gotten them, I headed back into the elderly man's hospital room, where Mai was currently sleeping.

I entered the room quietly, determined not to wake the raging Mai. I was met with the familiar sound of his heart monitor and the sight of blank white walls, which now glowed with soft yellows from a small nightstand. After the realization that Mai was about as unconscious as the man in the hospital bed, I didn't bother to tiptoe. Instead, I had gotten down on one knee below my former assistant and started questioning my decision. I pictured how this would ruin my reputation of emotionless and prideful. The stern image I gave to everyone would be gone, resulting in the loss of the respect I've gained throughout the years.

I bit back a sigh as I looked at the woman above me. Her hair bunched up in the hood of her green worn coat, was finally falling against her chapped face. Her lips had been cracked and blistered from the cold, but slowly, I noticed they had started to gain back some color. After some time of sitting there on my knees, I finally grasped the thought that I should finally do what I was going to do, incase Mai _did_ wake up.

I looked down at my hands in my lap, where the pair of bunched up socks I had gotten from the nurse lay. I slowly undid them, reflecting on my decision once more before I put them on Mai's cold feet. I carefully inspected her foot, partially afraid she would awaken if I touched her. But, I brushed it off, remembering Mai is just a small angry woman that probably couldn't hurt a fly.

I smirked at the thought, gently taking one foot in my lap. I strangely took my time stretching the white long sock to her mid-calve, and then finally going to the next one. She mumbled something in her sleep, but I shushed her to be quiet. It was harsher than I intended, but just like she obeyed me five years ago, she did now.

My smirk grew wider, suddenly remembering the way Mai fought with me. No matter what state of mind she was in, she was always up to arguing with me. That is just one of our commonalities. Because every time she started an argument with me, I would always come back stronger. That was simply why I was so keen on keeping her as an assistant. She oddly entertained me. Everything she did was idiotically hysterical, and that just made my job a little less boring as it was.

I finally let her foot go, but I didn't move my position. Instead, I froze, when the regret came over me. Thoughts about Mai's expression came over my mind. She would be furious, no doubt, but most likely creeped out as well. I had done something without her consent.

'_I could just blame it on Lin.'_

Satisfied with my resolution, I finally rose to my feet. I headed back down where Lin was sleeping, and I decided to do the same. I didn't know if it was allowed, or rather even appropriate to sleep in such an odd place, but I didn't care. I was overwhelmed with exhaustion. The past two days have been practically sleepless, and no one was going to stop me from giving in to my fatigue. I didn't pay any attention to any passing nurses glancing my way. Instead, I sat across from Lin, glancing his way for a moment before I gently closed my eyes against the florescent lights.

It was calm in the hospital. Noises that I had noticed in the hospital before were now hushed. The quiet conversations became whispers. The disturbances became still. They disconnected from my thoughts, calming my mind to a sort of tranquility and peace.

Resting my head back against the hospital chair, I calmed my body. My head was blank and dark, slowly forgetting my worries that had been poking and prodding at my mind all day. I was oddly content at my decision to warm Mai's feet, for reasons I didn't know. I didn't have the energy to dwell on the problem, so I simply forgot about it.

Everything seemed to empty my mind, gradually welcoming me with nothingness. I entered my mind like it was a solitary home. But once I had entered it, one thing was still in my consciousness. One certain thing couldn't go away. It bothered me to no ends, but eventually, I registered its meaning.

I fell asleep in the hospital chair, knowing quite well how much anger I will receive tomorrow morning.

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><p><strong>Don't worry! This won't be one of those stories where that idiot scientist is in love with Mai right off the bat. Things take time right? (Even though I wish it didn't) <strong>

**You guys make me laugh so much! Loving the reviews!**

**R&R**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt. **

**Just a quick heads up for any errors ther may be. It took me like forever to figure out how to transfer this from my computer to my phone. Heh but hey! I got it. Enjoy!**

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><p>Chapter 6: Another day, another dream.<p>

**Mai P.O.V.**

An unfamiliar sense overwhelmed me once I awoke to blue skies: warmth. It was very uncommon during Japan's cold seasons. The beginning of December most definitely did not feel the heat of the sun so early in the morning. As light gleamed across the white tile floors, it revealed much more than the depressing setting of the old man's room. It revealed something that was more confusing, and filled me with a curiosity that kept me guessing.

My lids were heavy. I felt like I could have slept another ten years in the same position, if not more. But I ignored the comfort of sleep and lifted my arms, attempting to heave myself up from the chair. But once I did, I felt like a rope was wrapped from shoulder to shoulder, which only seemed to grow tighter at every move I made. Every single part of my body was stiff and tense with the stress I encountered yesterday, that I only just realized it this morning.

After a few moments of grumbling something about not getting enough sleep, I finally managed, and shoved my back straight. My eyes were still half lidded and dizzy but I forced them to stay open. I reached my arms above my head, letting my limbs stretch from their endless knotting and started clicking my tongue like a cow chewing hay. As I noisily moistened my mouth, I noticed the dry itchy drool from last night's sleep that stuck to my chin. I would have been red with embarrassment if not for the fuzzy feeling against my toes.

_'Strange_,' I thought, feeling the soft fabric roll across my fingers. _'Was I so tired last night that I can't remember putting these socks on?'_

But, I knew that was impossible. I remembered every moment last night. It was a night no one could forget. At times, the brutal memories I hold sometimes feel like a gigantic nightmare. It sometimes almost seems too unreal. Ever since five years ago, I occasionally question my existence and what it really means.

_'Do others go through the same things I go through?'_

It was a question that I've asked myself over and over again. Repeatedly, I would convince myself each answer was possible, and it was best not to dwell on it. But still, I couldn't help it. I tried not to think about it much, but what were the chances a heart broken, psychic, fifteen year old gets abandoned on a regular basis?

I shoved the thought to the back of my mind, and decided to convince myself that thinking about the socks was a waste of time too.

I turned my attention to the hospital bed. My old friend was still lying there. He hadn't moved once since he was placed there.

My gaze started at the closest thing to me: his hand. It was where I left it last, hanging off the bed and uncovered by the clean sheets. Hesitantly, I placed my hand in his again. But only this time, I didn't hold it. Instead, I brought it to his side, and slid it under a blanket where it was kept just as warm.

Studying him more, my eyes went to his bony chest. His collar bone was too sharp for any man his age to be considered healthy, and the skin surrounding his jugular was thin with vulnerability. His scraggly beard still couldn't cover up what was placed there by Hikaru. The bruises I tried so hard to ignore were becoming darker with brutal browns and blues, which happened to be in the shape of finger prints.

I quickly snapped my eyes shut, afraid they would travel any farther past his neck. It wasn't like I wasn't used to blood, but seeing someone else's was a different story. _Especially_ when the blood belonged to someone I've grown very fond of. But still, it wasn't his injuries that bothered me most; it was who had caused them. And I wasn't thinking of Hikaru.

As I stood there with my eyes closed, I pondered. I felt a chain work its way around my heart, tightening at any sad feelings that were attaching itself to it. I felt like I was choking, unable to speak what I want to speak. My bottled up feelings I've been holding in all this time were screaming to come out, for someone to listen to what they have to say.

I sighed inwardly, but kept my eyes closed.  
><em>'I don't even know what I'm feeling anymore. I've held all these feelings in for so long, I <em>_think I've created a new form of depression.'_

I scuffed at the thought and finally fluttered my eyes open to the bright room. I stood there for a long time staring out the hospitals window, my thoughts drifting to different subjects. My slippery socks made it hard to keep standing as I shifted on my feet, slightly agitated to do something to get my mind off my depressing thoughts.

Twenty minutes later, I finally found an answer that kept the memories from their constant attacking. I walked out of the hospital room; the comforting soft beeps eventually hushed and released me to the deafening silence of reality. I came across a pretty nurse and asked her if I was allowed to clean myself up. Her blonde ponytail bounced in excitement as she nodded, and gave me a brilliant smile as she lead me to the bathroom with new pair of clothes I could temporarily borrow.

She closed the bathroom door and left me alone. I decided to ignore the mirror, in case the reflection I saw disappointed me. My intentions were to forget about my worries, even if it was for a little while, and I wasn't going to let my anxiety take over no matter what.

I sat down on the closed toilet seat and took off my socks. For a second I massaged my sore feet and then quickly went to the next one. I unzipped my worn green coat, and then flipped a black sweatshirt over my head. I peeled off my camo pants, careful to avoid scrapes on the way down. When I was all done, I tossed my filthy clothes in a basket, hopeful that the hospital will let me use their laundry mat.

I had forgotten to run the bath in the meantime, so I stood there awkwardly to wait for it to heat up. I was excited to feel cleanliness and to smell something else other than myself for once. I turned the knob so the water heater was at full blast. My fingers boiled hot at the touch of it, which was what I intended from the start. I plugged the bath, and stepped a foot inside. It stung. _Bad_.

I didn't know if the water was really hot or that I was just really cold, but either way it felt nice. It was like therapy. The boiling sensation stung the scrapes around my legs and arms, but I settled in easily, embracing the scorching ripples brushing against the hairs on my arms. I leaned my head back and sighed deeply.

"I wonder where Naru is," I spoke out loud, but suddenly getting angry at myself for thinking of him. I didn't want to think of him. I didn't want to think about why he was here, or why he came back. My mind became blank when I thought of him and silly notions appeared in its place. Sometimes I thought to myself that he had come back... for me.

_'Oh stop being full of yourself Mai,'_ I'd argue, tapping my knuckles on my forehead at my foolishness. _'I hate him. He left me here to defend for myself when I was only a kid. How could I forgive that?'_

I shifted my position in the bath and ducked my head under the surface of the burning water, as if I could drown the thoughts away. I ran my hands through my hair with soap until it was white with foam. I scrubbed away dead skin and dirt till I was content that I was clean enough. An hour later, I regretfully rose from my laying position and stepped out into freezing air. I wrapped a fuzzy towel around my body and then used another for my hair. Scrunching away the water, my eyes had nowhere to go other than the mirror across from me.

It was fogged with condensation and traces of water droplets that grew too heavy to stay any longer, were falling slowly. Behind the blur, I could see a faint reflection of a different girl. Her once radiant brown eyes were dead and her milky skin was now pale with stress. With sunken in cheeks, she frowned and turned away.

I didn't study long enough to see any more details of my face, and I didn't want to. I dressed quickly and slipped a white t-shirt over my head, while shoving my feet into grey sweatpants that had a wool feel to them. The shirt was small enough, but the pants were a little big, so I rolled them up at the waist in order to prevent them from falling down. I let my hair air dry past my shoulders and occasionally, I felt the water droplets roll down against my back.

After slipping on socks and the hospitals slippers, I finally left the bathroom satisfied. Only then, did my satisfaction die out when I caught sight of him.

The scientist's tall, lean back was facing me, as he stood talking to the doctor. Naru's voice was subtle and quiet as he spoke about the old man's condition, who was still in the same position I last seen him in. Naru hadn't noticed I entered the room.

I quickly averted my gaze, startled at his presence. My eyes then landed on another man, who was sitting in the chair I slept in. Naru's assistant almost seemed too big for the chair as his knees sat at a higher elevation any normal person's would have. Lin's eyes caught mine right away. At first, they were stunned, but it immediately turned to sympathy after a few moments. He stayed quiet, just as I expected him to do. Even if he didn't say a word, I read his face like a book. Guilt and sorrow was written in big letters across his face, like he was trying to apologize. It was odd to see Lin so open with emotions. Something like this was very much rare.

I didn't want to accept his apology, but I did. Lin was someone I've tried to convince to be my friend for a long time. He held this aura around him that was comforting, but also business like. For some reason, I've grown fond of his quiet personality. No doubt there still was a place of hatred in my heart I've held him in, but even so, I was glad to forgive. Even after all of these years, I still wanted Lin to like me, even if I had to give up some of my pride.

I nodded once towards him but I kept my face blank. It didn't take long for the elderly doctor to see that I entered the room. He glanced at me once before going back to the conversation with Naru, who was surprisingly oblivious of my presence. Once they were done speaking to each other, the doctor then walked past him with clipboard in hand, towards me.

I shifted uncomfortably, knowing Naru's eyes had landed on me when the doctor came to me. But I ignored the eyes that followed my movements and tried to focus on the questions he asked me.

"It's Mai Taniyama, correct?" He said, lifting a page attached to the clipboard.

I nodded, but then I realized he wasn't looking, so I spoke hesitantly. "Yes, that's correct."

"I would just like to ask you a few questions, if you are well enough to," He said, but the doctor didn't sound the least sympathetic.

I thought about his question seriously. The last thing I wanted to do was to talk about last night, but if it was for the sake of helping my friend, I had to suffer.

The doctor apparently took my silence as a yes, so he continued. "Are you well aware of just whom this man is?"

I shifted again, wringing my hands together. "Not really," I said stupidly.

He raised a white eyebrow, his thin lips scrunching together. "You have no idea who this is? And yet you cry over him like you've known him for years?"

I couldn't help but giggle, even at the doctor's crude remark. It was true, I didn't know the man. Hell, I didn't know even one thing about him. All I ever knew about him that he was a clever old bastard who cares more about bringing me a chocolate bar more than a pair of shoes.

I cut my fit of giggles short and finally spoke again. "I guess not."

I heard the doctor let out an annoyed grunt, but I also heard something else afterwards. I couldn't really put my finger on it. Satisfaction, maybe?

The doctor kept his mouth in a frown formation. His face was heavily contorted in wrinkles and loose skin. His eyes reminded me of a snake. They darted rapid directions but his body moved slow and carefully as he searched his new prey. In this case, his prey was to leave me in a confused state of mind. I couldn't help but feel like the doctor had more to say than what he did about the old man. But he changed subjects, as if he was entertained by all of this exciting drama in his life.

"We aren't exact on what caused his injuries, and your friend over there says he was attacked by another man. Is that correct?"

I nodded.

The doctor followed in suit and nodded as well. "Do you know who his attacker was so the hospital can inform the police?"

I let out a sigh, ready to expose Hikaru's name out to the open. But just as I was about to speak, I stopped short and stared wide-eyed at the doctor.

I wanted so badly to get Hikaru in trouble. But I had to remember that he was the police. I could get him fired or even jail time, but knowing Hikaru, he would never let that go. He was just one of those bullies that got to me within the years that seemed to break through my shield and get to my head. It was strange. I didn't know how he did it, but if I ever exposed him, he would most likely kill me.

I snapped my mouth shut and composed myself for a lie. For a second, I closed my eyes, rethinking possibilities but quickly decided that there was just one. I opened my eyes back up and furrowed my brows. "No, we were just spending the night in the park and a random man came up to us."

"Just a random man?" he questioned, obviously not believing any word I was saying. "Because your friends over there told me it was a police officer?"

_'Crap_,' I thought, shooting Naru and Lin a death glare from behind the doctor. _'Why do they have to interfere?'_

"I don't know. Everything happened so fast last night. It was too dark and I was delusional. I'm sure my two friends over there couldn't be exact on who the man was. Who knows? Maybe he was just dressed that way?"

The man, unbelieving in my story, flashed me a fake smile. His canines were sharper than anything I'd ever seen, which only added to my theory that he was probably a snake in another life. I copied his smile condescendingly and waited for him to say something.

"Even so, we will get DNA from your friend's wounds. We will find out who did this, one way or another," he spoke, as if I was the one to beat up the old man. The doctor looked at me one more time before he turned on his heal. His white coat brushed my legs as he headed out the door.

I heard a breath of relief escape my mouth once the door closed. But even as intense as the atmosphere once was before, it couldn't compare now. My eyes traveled from the door to the narcissist. His eyes beneath his dark hair were questionable and rather curious.

I expected my fatigue to act up when my attention was brought to him. My drowsiness had been pretty intense in the past couple of days. I admit, I was a little lethargic at times and my efforts to do anything had been minimal. But for some reason, the sleepiness wasn't there. It diminished like a fire diminished its flames: slowly and softly. What was left at the bottom of the pit was nothing but anger.

I was completely enraged by his smug look and the way he leaned against the wall, studying me like it was the most natural thing to do. Emotions crashed down on me like waves, drowning me in a frustration I haven't felt in a long time. Memories swirled in my head and knocked my mind blank.

I realized I had been staring at him for at least five minutes, watching him watch me with his perfect eyebrows arched curiously. My heart started to pump faster, my hands scrunching into fists. My body was seemingly moving by itself, striding across the white tile floor. It didn't take long till I was inches away from his face. Adrenaline pumped through me as I stared deep into his eyes. They were dark, almost an indigo color that were rich with cleverness.

"You're an asshole," I blurted.

"Tell me something I don't know, Mai," he sighed. The comment made me wince of my stupidity of not saying something smarter. I stayed quiet for a while, letting an awkward silence pass between us before Naru decided to speak again.

He didn't move from his position. Instead, he kept still and watched me fidget. "So, now you're lying to the hospital? Is there a reason why you didn't tell them who the man was?"

I scuffed. "What's it to you? Why the hell are you even back?"

"Don't answer my questions with another question, Mai. But just to satisfy, I already told you why I was back."

I laughed big and leaned back dramatically. "You had a dream about me, right?"

Then suddenly, I felt an intense heat creep up my neck. Slowly at first, but it eventually shot up to the rest of my face. I blushed furiously at my own foolishness and regret crashed down on me. A bunch of 'Oh gods' went through my mind as I stared wide-eyed into his. If Naru was even the slightest bothered at all by my statement, he didn't show it. Not a peak of emotion broke through that mask as his raven black hair framed his face, rather beautifully, might I add.

I heard Lin cough, filling the awkward silence before Naru spoke again. "No, Mai. Not in the way you're thinking, but if you prefer..."

"-No no!" I interjected, waving away the words. "I didn't mean it like that. I just meant you had a-a vision or something." My words were understanding, but the rage was still well within me as we continued.

Naru seemed disgustingly pleased at my lack of composer. He smirked and turned away, taking a couple steps towards Lin. But he was still well within touching distance.

_'Not like that matters Mai!' _I argued, digging my nails into my fists.

I grunted, irritated by my failure. I've waited this day for years. I wanted to show Naru how much he affected my life, how much he _ruined_ my life. He left me with no job and no future for myself when he left to England to live in his pretty palace. He knew I depended on the money he paid me at SPR, but he still left because he was afraid of facing me again.

I ignored the heat in my face and turned utterly serious. As I continued to look into his eyes, mine had grown sorrow. Something accompanied my anger inside the fireless pit. It stung the back of eyes and threated for tears to fall as I started again.

I lifted my chin, trying my best to hide the ache in my throat. "Do you know where I've been after you left?"

Naru's smirk disappeared and shifted into a thin line. For a moment, he gently closed his eyes, as if he was expecting this to come up. His dark lashes opened with caring eyes. He held something new upon his mask that wasn't quite kindness, but rather understanding.

His voice was quiet and gentle. "I know where you've been."

"And?"

"It's a shame."

I squinted my eyes, completely stunned by his remark. Thousands of comebacks popped into my mind, but I decided to stay serious.

"I-It's a shame?" I whispered furiously, feeling tears burn at the corners of my eyes. "Aren't you going to apologize?"

His gentleness disappeared quickly. His next words cut through me like razors. "I don't have to apologize for something that wasn't my responsibility."

Anything Naru spoke was like poison. It swims in your veins, making sure you'd never forget its presence. Whether it was a high or a deadly sensation, each effect was just the same. It made you dizzy and sick, but each time you will come crawling back, wanting more. It was something I figured out ever since I started to grow feelings for him.

I shifted my eyes to the floor and kept them that way. I felt a hot tear run down a cheek as I spoke, but I made sure my gaze didn't find his.

"I don't care if it's your responsibility," I whispered, trying to stop my throat from clogging with the tears. "I just want you to apologize."

Silence accompanied my small break down. The soft beeps of the heart monitor were finally heard over our argument. Naru didn't say anything for a long time. I couldn't read his emotions because I couldn't look at his face. I stared at his feet, blinking lightly as tears still ran down my face furiously.

I noticed him tense. Naru clenched his fists tightly, but then released them, as if letting go of anger.

"No," He whispered.

This time, I wasn't surprised. Instead, I gave into my sadness. I was smothered in my tears and my sobs were so excruciatingly pathetic that I sobbed more. I covered my hands over my face as if to block out any sounds that were erupting. I failed and dropped to my knees. I was so surrounded in sadness that my bones drowned in the agony.

I hadn't expected to live with myself after that conversation. Or rather, I hadn't expected I'd actually live after that conversation. My whole life after he left, I had this hope inside me that I would once see my first love again. It was pathetic, but it's what kept me going for so long. I mentioned this before, but I did dream of him apologizing to me. But after I forgave him, we would go back to being friends. Every bad moment I ever had would be erased from my memory and I would start a new life with someone I cared about. Now that hope is gone, what the hell was the point in living?

I cradled myself, rocking back and forth. I couldn't imagine how pathetic I must have looked but I didn't care. The floor beneath me had been crumbling for years, and only today did it finally collapse.

I didn't know if it was my sobs that made me drowsy, but either way, it was affecting me greatly. I shifted my body so that I was sitting on my knees awkwardly. I felt my head rush with dizziness. A fatigue I've grown very familiar of was attacking again. Only this time, I didn't understand why it came when it did.

Nausea and dizziness took over. The two men watching me must have noticed my sobs stopped because I heard soft callings of my name.

"Mai! Mai!" They would yell, but it was fuzzy and it tickled my ear drums.

As I sat on the white tile floor, I fell forward. But a strong pair of arms caught me before I plummeted face down in the ground. I was thankful, but I couldn't seem to work up the energy to say it.

The last thing I remembered was staring into icy blue, indigo eyes that shone so bright, I could see a faint reflection of myself fading away.

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><p><strong>Hope you enjoyed! Thanks for the follows, favs and reviews! :3<strong>

**Read and Review!**


	7. Chapter 7

**I have no excuse to explain why I haven't been posting chapters. I've re-written this chapter about 29304820394820 times but hey I finally gotten it. Anyway, starting a new school really sucks, I'm sorry about the late chapter! I love the feedback I got on my last one and I'm glad to hear you guys are enjoying it because I enjoy writing it! **

**This chapter is all Naru's point of view! Hope you like!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt.**

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><p>Chapter 7: Guilt<p>

**Naru P.O.V. **

I felt a large hand grasp my heart, leisurely pressing the life out. The dark circles under my eyes were surprisingly unseen. But beneath this skin I felt destroyed, shriveling down to almost nothing. I was left to look at a girl lying in a white bed. But she was not hooked up to any devices to keep track of her health, unlike the many patients next door. Instead, she slept peacefully, drowning away the world just by closing her lids.

I felt my brain go numb with guilt. I had begun to get weary of the emotions flooding me for the past days. But even as Mai clouded my mind, somehow my thoughts went out to my brother, Eugene.

Gene's memory was weakening. His warm smile was slowly fading as time progressed. It hurt me, as much as I didn't want to admit it. The little things he did were disappearing from my brain. Separating twins was a sin in my mind. _Killing_ was a sin.

When I ventured back to England five years ago, I was expecting to find closure in burying my brother. His face was all too familiar, regardless of the fact that it was bloated and bursting with murky water. Gene and I's familiar features were somehow perplexing. I saw myself in him. _Oh how I wished it could have been me instead of him._ I never found closure, but instead I found regret and horrendous remorse haunt me. I felt his memory revisit me when I saw Mai crash into her oblivion, where her mind goes elsewhere. I caught her right before she face planted into the ground. Right away, I knew she was experiencing one of her dreams. It was a dream where the supernatural make contact with her, or sometimes, when Gene visits her.

I convinced myself enough times I was jealous. Not jealous because Gene and Mai had a connection, but rather because Mai gotten to see my brother when I couldn't. Occasionally I could, when he needed me most. I could see him in my bathroom mirror in the morning, looking back at me with the same features, but a different shade of blue in his eyes. They were so kind and swimming with something I could _never_ be. It took great effort to reach out to Gene, but even so, it was worth it.

The jealousy I was feeling could be misinterpreted for something else to others ears. It could be misguided for romantic feelings for Mai. Or maybe, it already was.

Like the emotionless fool I am, I sat on a stiff white sofa across from Mai. Her effortlessly intriguing skin made my eyes somehow lock on. I evaded it as best as I could like it was a disease. _A very good disease._

"All would be so simple, if you just apologized, Noll. What would Luella think?" Lin said, a clean void of emotionless filling the gap of silence.

I didn't have the energy to smirk or play into Lin's trick. He had this way of reeling me into frustration, but after all of this time of teaching me about the supernatural world, I knew better.

"My mother has no outlook in this whatsoever. She is not here, and if I have to remind you who the superior is in this situation, I will."

Lin was unbothered by my growing temper. He instead flipped another page in the daily newspaper and fixed his eyes onto black and white words. My assistant and I were so alike; I forget he isn't blood related. I grew up with him. He was my teacher, my idol, and most of all: my first friend.

I stirred, attempting to get comfortable reading a book filled with Supernatural Phenomena that I happened to keep tucked close beside me. My eyes travelled over familiar words, absorbing their meaning and interesting truths. It didn't hurt to remind myself the business I was in so long ago, incase future cases did appear in my life.

As if Lin could read my mind, he shifted his body upwards, signaling he was going to say something vital.

"Noll," he started, letting out a little hesitation. "I need to discuss something with you."

I rolled my eyes. "Proceed," I ordered, already knowing what he was going to say.

"The business-"

"-we should open it again correct?" I finished for him, ignoring his puzzled look. "I've already set up arrangements. I understand I shouldn't be using my parent's money anymore as a form of living. I have already set up the office. It's ready to go – no thanks to you."

Lin's shock didn't last long. It didn't even last a second for me to enjoy it. He didn't move an inch from his position, his shoulders tense and desperate for the courage to what he has to say next.

"We need to hire the team again," he said casually.

"Already done."

"Even Mai?" he said, closing his newspaper.

I opened my mouth, and then stopped. "How could I possibly offer her a job when she's unconscious Lin? Use that brain of yours."

"That's not the idea I was getting at, Noll."

I huffed, very much irritated already, for reasons I didn't know. "Oh? And what was your idea?"

If I could see Lin right now, he was probably furious. I didn't act like this when I was around him. I could sense him grimace and mumble something under his breath. The crumpling of paper landed in a trash bin beside him, rather angrily.

He took a few moments to regain himself, knowing all too well I won the little battle we had between us. "You _need_ to hire Mai again. If you won't, I will."

I raised a condescending brow. "Do I have to remind you just who you're talking-"

"-Yes, I understand you're my boss, Noll. I've known you since you were small. But you need to understand that Mai's life is going to ruin. If we don't make it up to her soon, she will never forgive either of us."

I stayed silent at Lin's words, but I never let him know my pride faltered in those seconds. Hearing Mai speak again almost seemed like a dream, a failure of a future. It was a vision so absurd and inane that I left myself no other choice to dismiss it. Guilt shot through me again, oddly becoming more familiar within the time I welcomed it into my mind. Another horrible feeling made itself a nest in my brain, almost comforting against the numbness. A while later I finally got up enough courage to say my next words.

"Should we consider Mai's life significant Lin?" I said quietly, my fury disappearing.

Lin didn't take long answering. His mood shifted to a light, breezy hopefulness that even captured the small smile forming on his face.

"Of course."

* * *

><p>Light disappeared behind bright grey clouds. I began to miss the cushion of snow compacting under my feet. The empty quiet halls became tiring, like a soft pillow suffocating me with vacancy and easy comfort. I waited long hours for somebody to wake up, it didn't matter if it was Mai or her friend, I was eager for something to happen. It was still noon though, and the day was shifting slowly, I was sure one of them was going to wake up in time to find my boredom a silly emotion to have a time like this.<p>

I walked down the hall, suddenly missing the taste of tea. It was so soothing to my senses. Distressing was so unfamiliar when I drank my daily cup of Earl Grey in the morning. But seeing as they don't serve it here, I was very on edge and willing to attack anything that bothered me in the slightest.

In my time of dullness, my thoughts went back to this morning. Mai and I's conversation was somehow… baffling. I was undoubtedly prepared for anything Mai was to spew at me, but even when it did happen, my heart still clung to that unfamiliar weight. It had crashed to the bottom of my stomach, almost knocking me over. But I had kept my level head this morning, knowing if I ever gave into Mai's needs, she wouldn't respect me like she did five years ago.

_'Respect?'_ I chuckled mentally. '_I'm getting ahead of myself, Noll.'_

I shuffled down the hallway, forgetting the odd sensation that there was an absence in a part of my brain. Guilt had moved out for the time being, but I knew sooner or later it would crawl its way back up and make me feel whole again. I passed rooms, studying the paper notes stuck to each door. Each read a different name but all the same hand writing. Even if it had said a name, the room would be dark and empty, filled with a perception of blackness. I could just feel the death radiate from the rooms.

Yet, even as I passed the blank spaces, I felt something tug me further. I hadn't even noticed the sensation until I had actually arrived, but when it did; it left me guessing for a long time.

I arrived at a door. It was painted the same boring light blue color, but the name written attached to the door left my mind blank. _Seeing her name was so unusual._

I turned the doorknob so quickly; I didn't take notice to the muffled laughs on the other side.

It was a room filled with repulsive happiness. Three faces so oddly familiar startled me, their features so bedeviling to the eye. One man I had only seen a day ago, sat cross-legged on the bed, his golden brown ponytail hanging low past his shoulders. Another woman stood close by him, hair so red and resiliently short, I had trouble recognizing her. But one particular girl's smile caught my attention, perhaps the most familiar out of the earsplitting conversation.

I stood there overlooked and disregarded, staring at a reuniting friendship sewing themselves back together. My eyes were left wide and jaw tightly clenched.

"Mai, even if we were sleeping in the same room, you would still find a possible way to hurt yourself," Monk chuckled, shoulders shaking from the laughter.

Mai rolled her eyes while her mouth twitched upwards, revealing white glittery teeth. "No I don't. I just happened to have a dream at a bad time."

"Oh come on Mai-Channn," Monk cooed, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Don't deny you have this dreadful luck of getting yourself into trouble."

She crossed her arms stubbornly, but the smile still well on her face. "I'm not a stupid teenager anymore Bou-Sannn," Mai cooed back, copying his words with the same silliness. "So don't treat me like one."

"I agree with you Mai," A red headed Mink intervened, clawing her way through their jam packed conversation. "If this idiot was even a little concerned about you, he wouldn't be saying those things."

The Monk switched his attention to Matasuzaki, eyes gleaming with revulsion, but only tightening his grip around Mai's shoulder. "Don't bud in _old hag_, Mai and I were having a nice conversation."

She let out a frustrated huff. "Old hag?" she scoffed, flipping a strand of red hair from her face. "You're such an old man, you force Mai into an embrace she doesn't even want to be in!"

With that, they were like two cats, clawing at each other with inhuman force. They attacked each other with insults and occasional whippings of Matasuzaki's purse. They were so surrounded in their swearing and cussing, that they hadn't noticed my presence. Despite the crude words spewing from their wretched mouths, I felt a stream of happiness melt over my heart. The awkwardness was so overbearing these past days that I felt relieved to hear voices so familiar.

She must have sensed me studying her from across the room. Mai's cinnamon eyes travelled from the two idiots to me. Her smile faltered within seconds. She blinked a few times, as if she couldn't see me. A swirl of emotion twirled, blocking any sort of speech back in her throat. For a moment, a thread of complete silence was attached from her to myself, making the world around us a haze filled with insignificance.

Her alarmed expression only made me feel a pang of worry go through me.

"N-Naru?" She stuttered, her voice barely audible over the two others.

I shifted my feet and placed my hands behind my back. "So observant, Mai," I said cynically. "You haven't changed a bit."

Mai didn't say a word. A facial expression filled with too many emotions, I couldn't get them all within the seconds. What I did get out of it, was a boundless sadness and fear that made its presence obvious_. If she even attempted to hide it at all_. Stillness caged us in so closely, I don't think Mai heard what I even said.

She furrowed her brows suddenly, getting back to reality. She cranked her head sideways, pain shifting her benign features. "W-Why are you still here?" She whispered, clenching the clean sheets.

I didn't answer right away because I noticed the two had stopped fighting. Monk and Matasuzaki were now still, watching us with solemn eyes.

I kept my gaze on them, determined not to let Mai's melancholy sensation break through to the shield I held over myself. "Or maybe it's more appropriate to ask why _they _are here?" I spoke, my voice holding great authority over the once blissful feeling hovering over the room.

I listened to Monks raised laughs, as if he was attempting to reach a louder volume than mine. "If you don't know your assistant Lin contacted us, I guess that means you aren't a very capable boss, _boss." _

I let a smirk reach my lips, already letting Monk know he lost the fight he was never destined to win. "Yes, I am a boss who happens to have complete control over you. I am a boss who will rip the paycheck from beneath your feet at any disrespect you give to me, Takigawa. So please, refrain from the upsetting attempt to offend me. Of course, unless you prefer me to give your job to another skilled Monk? You might find a better _capable_ _boss_, but surely they won't wage you the amount I give you, now would they?"

Monk let out a soft growl, which I guessed was the only response he was able to muster up from the humiliation.

"Good," I declared, drifting my eyes from him back to Mai. "As for you Mai, you're probably wondering what we are talking about. To put it simply for your little mind, I hired the SPR team again. They work for me once more at the same office we had five years ago."

She must have been startled by my eyes because pink blossomed in Mai's cheeks, a blush I was so accustomed to had rose to her skin. I didn't let the satisfaction of astonishing Mai with my looks get to my head. _Not quite yet._

I bit back a pleased smirk and forced my mask straight. An emotionless wall I've built up was still unbreakable, even if I was faced with Mai's expressions.

"What does that have to do with me?" She said, nervously picking at the hospital blanket, her honey-like skin glowing against the white sheets.

I held back an insult. I started insulting her this morning and the last thing I wanted to do was relive that conversation. "I'm obviously hiring you, Mai," I sighed.

Her mouth had dropped from its anxious formation and instead shifted into a scowl. Defense mode kicked in and something switched in Mai that made her eyes grow heavy with the hatred I've not yet gotten used to.

"No," she stated coldly.

I stood there, mentally astonished by her words, but I refused to let it reach above my skin. I heard Matasuzaki and Monk giggle under their breath; feeling like Mai was the one who had gotten past my authority and into my frustration. Of course, my pride would never allow such a thing to happen anyway.

"You prefer to stay homeless forever?" I raised a brow, ignoring the cruel words rolling off my tongue.

Her lip twitched with annoyance and disgust. "Anything to get away from you," she said, more confidently this time.

I let the corner of my mouth tic upwards, a challenge gleaming in my eyes. "You forget, Mai, just who is paying for your medical bills."

"So what?" She said, raising her voice, more assertion rather than hesitation this time. "So you can blackmail me into working with you again? No – I'm not falling for that."

"Again, you forget what happened Mai. I might have blackmailed you, but you still proceeded to work with me, didn't you?"

She didn't answer me, but instead let out a soft growl.

"Didn't you?" I repeated eager to get an answer out of her mouth.

"Yes!" she yelled, crossing her arms above her chest. She let out a frustrated breath, red pooling in her cheeks as she realized she failed to win our argument. But Mai was still far from done.

"I'm not going to work with you," She ordered, a significantly high amount of anger reaching its way up towards her tongue.

I took a moment to let the irritation collect from every part of my body to the base of my brain. I shifted my attention to the two watching us, their faces scrunched with an animosity that was sure to burst if I kept insulting Mai any longer.

"Leave us," I ordered.

Monk was the first to speak up. "What so you can keep hurting Mai? No-"

"I will remind you this time and this time only," I ordered, shooting lasers towards their way. "Your job is on the line. If you keep continuing, I will show no mercy."

This time it was Matasuzai's chance to speak up, but instead of going against me, she agreed. "You idiot, if you get fired, we'll never get to see Mai again! Shut your yap!"

Monk growled and let a frustrated breath escape his mouth. He shot death glares through my skin, but of course, they never got past my shield. I ignored the scowls he passed me before he gave Mai one last tight hug. Stubbornly, he shuffled his way out the door and closed it behind him.

Complete calm hung over my shoulders, heavier than I would like. I let the peaking sun warm my face that shot through the windows, encircling me with a tenderness that even reached into my heart. But my stare never left hers. We stood there, watching each other's movements with keen eyes.

"I'm not going to work for you," she repeated, eyeing me peculiarly.

I didn't move my stare away. I kept my eyes unblinking; as if I would miss a movement by her I haven't seen yet. "I wasn't going to talk about that."

She raises an eyebrow at this. Her lips now pink, bright against her pale complexion, forming a thin line. "Then spit it out."

I ignored the tone she gave me and left my face peaceful, full of emptiness. "The dream."

"What dream?" she said.

I rolled my eyes, and raised an eyebrow. "I'm really not up for games, Mai."

She clenched the sheets beside her again, harder this time. I could almost hear the digging of nails going into the soft fabric. "It's none of your business," she seethed.

I let the corner of my mouth turn upwards. "Oh, but it is," I said, seizing a step her way. "You see, Mai, your dreams are the only thing I am interested in. If I had someone else who had the same talent as you, their attentiveness would be just as equivalent. But, seeing as that isn't the case, I am stuck dealing with a small girl who can't help but blaming her wrongs on the most palpable choice, which in this situation, happens to be me. The dreams that you experience do involve my brother, therefore it _is_ my business. So please, proceed, Mai."

She never looked away. It had only taken me a fraction of a second to see the clear water pooling at the base of her almond eyes, overflowing with despondency and defeat. Although they were forlorn, her body radiated fury. It was a rage so deep, so _unfamiliar_, it even made me take a step back.

"It had nothing to do with your brother," She said, raising her chin to hide the hurt from my words. "I haven't seen him."

I pursed my lips and ignored her distress. A quick message was sent to my brain, involving too many emotions about Gene that I promised to sort out later. Instead of leaving Mai on sight, I decided to push her for more information.

"You haven't seen him at all?"

Her small jaw clenched and she eventually responded, "No."

"Not even in past five years you've been gone?" I said.

Mai stayed silent. It was a grave quietness that bore into my skin and clung to my heart.

"Well?" I pressed, after a moment of soundless air passing between us.

She sighed and ran fingers through her hair, as if letting go of the sadness that attacked her mind. Mai flicked off her white comforter with a hand and stood on her feet. Wobbly, at first, but she gained back balance within a few seconds.

Mai ignored my eager eyes and glided on her slippers. "Don't know."

I bit my tongue, incase I said something I'd regret saying. I was going to push her further, but then feeling that it would be a failed attempt and a waste of my breath. "Very well," I said, matching her carelessness.

"Are you going to leave me alone now?" She sighed again.

"Hardly."

She didn't answer me. Another harmless quiet passed between us as Mai stood before me, hands on hips. She appeared to be ready for more questioning, but she looked exhausted and eager to be somewhere else.

"Why won't you agree to work for me again?" I said, ignoring the way I gave into my curiosity so quickly.

She raised a thoughtful eyebrow at this. "The narcissistic jerk worried that Mai won't have a job? Please," She scoffed, heading towards the bathroom. "I can take care of myself."

I looked her up and down, a strange tingling feeling forming in my lips. "Obviously not."

She flashed back at me with daggers. "Don't you have somewhere else to be? Somewhere more _convenient_?"

"Considering I have endless amounts of questions for you? No."

She began slipping on a black sweatshirt over her head and flipping brunette hair over her shoulders. "Well, I do."

I considered her for a moment. Mai's blank eyes were so dark and filled with memories. I felt my curiosity yank me towards more questioning. I was so unbelievably interested where Mai has been, what she has been doing these past years. But as it always did when the questions popped up, my words fell back into my throat. _It's my fault she is homeless._

Mai took soft steps towards the door, but I blocked her by an arm. Casually, I studied her face while mine had become serious.

"I'm not done, _Mai_."

"Well I am, _Oliver_."

I huffed. "Oliver? What happened to that idiotic nickname?"

"You mean Naru?" she said flatly. "Pretty sure you deserve a nickname more meaningful – like asshole, for instance."

I gritted my teeth but I refused to let Mai get to me. "I need to ask you more questions, and then you will be free to go."

Mai looked me up and down, long lashes blinking slowly from defeat and weariness. Her anger although, was unbreakable. It was solid and permanent, like it's been building up for years. "You can't force me to answer your questions."

"Just answer them Mai, so I can get over this senseless drama."

"Senseless?" She scoffed, taking a step back. "The only senseless one in the room is you!"

I kept silent but I never let myself run away. My pride would never allow it.

"You – Oliver, know nothing!" She seethed, angling a finger towards my way. "You don't know where I've been! You-"

Her words faltered into mishaps, a jumble of clogged tears and emotion that undesirably tore at my heart. I never let my face shift from its impassive wall. My lips formed a thin line and my eyes were bored with displeasure.

"Listen," She said through controlled breaths. "I don't want to deal with you right now. I have somewhere else to be."

I listened to her struggle with the words. Mai's face was always an easy entrance to her thoughts and for a moment, I let them surround me. They overwhelmed me with the guilt I have been feeling all of the five years. Only this time, they seemed like they were amplified and I was able to see clearly now, just how much I have caused pain to a simple fifteen year old girl. I lead her to a path filled with the bizarre world of the paranormal. An uncanny life filled with horror and disastrous leadings. I made Mai believe that her future was going to be revolved around the supernatural, but in the end I had only cheated her. I left her with no outlooks or opportunities for her future. She missed five years of her life because of _me_.

I felt like I was a piece of a crumbling wall, unable to take the pressure anymore. My shoulders were heavy and tired as I stood there, seeming more unemotionally detached as time slowed. Mai was heading towards the door after a few moments of silence, when she finally realized she could never muster a reaction out of me, no matter how heart breaking one simple sentence could be.

But just as my arm let go of the door frame (an attempt to block Mai from going anywhere), I was pushed away. Not by physical contact, but just by straightforward words of a monk I had become very agitated with. Only this time, my agitation was forgotten in time when I understood his ragged breaths were desperate. A shift in my emotions was finally reached when he spoke.

"Mai," Monk said through heaving breaths. Darkness clouded his eyes as his gaze landed on her, an anxiousness that I have only seen in cases. But we weren't on a case, and that thought only made my nerves frantic.

"W-What is it?" She stammered, pushing her way past me and gliding her hands on Monks shoulders with worry. Mai grabbed his shirt in both tiny hands, determined to get whatever he had to say out of his system.

"You're friend…" He breathed, almost a whisper next to her ear. His voice had become dark and somber, a terrifying tone of desolation. Monk peered at her through empathetic eyes and he held a pool of misery, like it was for Mai herself. "He's…dead."

* * *

><p><strong>Again! Sorry about the super late update! I hate to end chapters on cliff hangers, but if I didn't it would be like 23094823095 pages long so I had to end it here. Don't worry, everything will end up okay for Mai. It has to right? <strong>** Thanks for the reviews!**

**R & R**


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